On 24 November 2014, the Minister of Labour issued a sectoral determination amending the minimum rates for the salaries of domestic workers for the period commencing 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015.
Employers of domestic workers must ensure that they pay their domestic workers not less than the prescribed minimum wage. Employers who are currently paying their domestic workers less than the prescribed minimum wage must ensure that their workers are paid no less than the prescribed minimum wage from 1 December 2014.
Minimum wage
For the period from 1 December 2014 to 30 November 2015, in Area A (which includes most urban areas, including the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality) the minimum wage for domestic workers is the following:
For those who work more than 27 hours a week:
- hourly – R10.59;
- weekly – R476. 68 (for employees working a maximum of 45 ordinary hours per week); and
- monthly – R2065.47 (for employees working a maximum of 45 ordinary hours per week).
For those who work 27 hours a week or less:
- hourly – R12.40;
- weekly – R334.74 (for employees working a maximum of 27 ordinary hours per week); and
- monthly – R1450.33 (for employees working a maximum of 27 ordinary hours per week).
It is important to bear in mind that because the sectoral determination contemplates annual increase effective on 1 December of each year, employers will have to think twice before granting increases at any other time in the year.
