The National Minimum Wage rose from R28.79 to R30.23 per hour on 1 March 2026, a 5% increase confirmed by the Department of Employment and Labour. It applies in full to domestic workers, and it is the lowest amount an employer may legally pay for every ordinary hour of work.
What changed on 1 March 2026
- The hourly rate moved from R28.79 to R30.23.
- A day of less than 4 hours must still be paid as 4 hours (the 4-hour rule).
- The rate is published in the Government Gazette. The Minister of Employment and Labour sets a new rate each year, and each notice gives its own start date. In 2026 it was 1 March.
What it means for you
For workers: check your payslip from March 2026 onward. Every ordinary hour must be paid at R30.23 or more.
For employers: if you were paying R28.79 an hour, the increase is about R100 a month for a two-day-a-week arrangement, and about R281 a month full-time. Update the wage from your March payment, and keep the contract and payslips showing the new rate.
The full figures, worked examples and monthly amounts are in the 2026 national minimum wage update, which we keep current.
Sources
Government Gazette and the Department of Employment and Labour.
You can check the legal minimum for any pattern of hours with the wage check, and AskMandla keeps your contract, payslips and UIF admin sorted over WhatsApp so your pay records always match the current rate.