Domestic workers to benefit from the new regulations over the coming year

Domestic workers in South African can look forward to higher minimum wage, more benefits, and further protection from harm in South Africa over the coming year.

Business Tech reported that the trade federation Cosatu recently said that a number of new regulations are expected to benefit domestic workers in South Africa over the coming year.

These changes are:

• The higher minimum wage in 2022;
• Coming benefits from the Compensation of Injury on Duty Amendment Bill;
• Further protection from harm through three specific gender-based violence bills currently being processed.

According to Cosatu domestic workers have already benefited from the passing of the National Minimum Wage Act in 2019 and more should benefit in 2022 when domestic workers’ salaries are increased to 100% of the National Minimum Wage.

Employment and Labour Minister, Thulas Nxesi announced on Tuesday, 9 February, that the minimum wage increased by 93 cents. This means that employees can now be paid a minimum of R21,69 per hour.

As of March 2021, the minimum wage in South Africa is R21.69 for each working hour, However, domestic workers are currently seen as an exception under the National Minimum Wage Act and are entitled to a minimum wage of R19.09 per hour.

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“A national minimum wage should be applicable to all employees across the country and irrespective of sector,” the national minimum wage commission said.  

To avoid excessive disruption, however, the Minimum Wage Act established lower minimums for farm and domestic workers, with a process of gradual equalisation to the national minimum wage over time.

According to Business Tech the commission has since recommended that the minimum wage of domestic workers be increased to 88% of the national minimum wage in 2021 and to 100% in 2022.

This adjustment of the minimum wage for domestic workers and farmworkers would amount to an increase of about R450 per month for a domestic worker.