This story was updated on 19 March 2018. Please note the correction on the new minimum wage.
The minimum wage below will only be valid until the new national minimum wage, as announced by president Cyril Ramaphosa last year, comes into effect on 1 May 2018. The domestic worker sector’s wage is set on 75% of the new national wage of R20 per hour, and so the new minimums will be R2,625 per month or R15 per hour. This will improve the living standards of domestic workers in South Africa who, on average, only earn R1 164 a month, according to the National Minimum Wage Research Initiative at Wits and reported on last night on Carte Blanche, which is far below minimum wage.
Let’s be clear: the minimum wage is the very, very bare minimum. It only covers you legally. Morally, it’s dangerously low. Do the maths: who can live on such a low income? How much are her travelling costs?
Not only should we, who entrust our children’s care to nannies, pay them a fair living wage, but we should be adding decent benefits too, like you would expect at a job you’d apply for. Travel costs and a healthy lunches are a must.
And don’t forget to draw up a contract and pay UIF for each worker (nanny, gardener, cleaner) – it’s the law.
Read:
- Are you paying your domestic worker enough?
- Sjoe! Our readers had a lot to say about the minimum wage
- We should be paying our nannies more than the bare minimum
Bernard Reisner from Cape Labour & Industrial Consultantsbreaks down the 2018 minimum wage tables for us below.
To work out the minimum wage, you have to factor in whether the nanny works full- or part-time, and whether you live in a major metro.
Minimum wages for domestic workers who work more than 27 up to 45 ordinary hours per week:
Area A: major metropolitan areas*
- Hourly rate : R13.05
- Weekly rate: R587.40
- Monthly rate: R2 545.22
Those not covered in Area A
- Hourly rate : R11.89
- Weekly rate: R534.91
- Monthly rate: R2 317.75
Weekly and monthly rates are indicative for employees working a maximum of 45 ordinary hours per week.
Minimum wages for domestic workers who work 27 ordinary hours per week or less:
Area A: major metropolitan areas*
- Hourly rate: R15.28
- Weekly rate: R412.60
- Monthly rate: R1 787.80
Those not covered in Area A
- Hourly rate: R14.03
- Weekly rate: R378.83
- Monthly rate: R1 641.48
Weekly and monthly rates are indicative for employees working a maximum of 27 ordinary hours per week.
*Area A major metropolitans include:
B: Bergrivier Local Municipality, Breederivier Local Municipality, Buffalo City Local Municipality
C: Cape Agulhas Local Municipality, Cederberg Local Municipality, City of Cape Town, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality
D: Drakenstein Local Municipality
E: Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, Emalahleni Local Municipality, Emfuleni Local Municipality, Ethekwini Metropolitan Unicity
G: Gamagara Local Municipality, George Local Municipality
H: Hibiscus Coast Local Municipality
K: Karoo Hoogland Local Municipality, Kgatelopele Local Municipality, Khara Hais Local Municipality, Knysna Local Municipality, Kungwini Local Municipality, Kouga Local Municipality
L: Langeberg Local Municipality, Lesedi Local Municipality
M: Makana Local Municipality, Mangaung Local Municipality, Matzikama Local Municipality, Metsimaholo Local Municipality, Middelburg Local Municipality, Midvaal Local Municipality, Mngeni Local Municipality, Mogale Local Municipality, Mosselbaai Local Municipality, Msunduzi Local Municipality, Mtubatu Local Municipality
N: Nama Khoi Local Municipality, Nelson Mandela, Nokeng tsa Taemane Local Municipality
O: Oudtshoorn Local Municipality, Overstrand Local Municipality
P: Plettenbergbaai Local Municipality, Potchefstroom Local Municipality
R: Randfontein Local Municipality, Richtersveld Local Municipality
S: Saldanha Bay Local Municipality, Sol Plaatjie Local Municipality, Stellenbosch Local Municipality, Swartland Local Municipality, Swellendam Local Municipality
T: Theewaterskloof Local Municipality
U: Umdoni Local Municipality, uMhlathuze Local Municipality
W: Witzenberg Local Municipality
What are you paying your nanny or domestic worker? Does she live in or out? Does it include transport? Do you have a contract and are you paying UIF on her behalf? Send us your comments to chatback@parent24.com and we will publish them anonymously. Please note that we unfortunately cannot offer legal advice.
Article sourced Parent24
Photo Credit- iStock
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