You will have to pay your domestic worker more from December
The new minimum wages for the domestic workers sector has been announced
POLOKWANE – The department of Labour has increased the minimum wage payable to domestic workers effective from 1 December 2016 until 30 November 2017.
According to Mokgadi Pela, acting spokesperson for the department of labour in Polokwane, employers in the city will have to pay their domestic workers a minimum wage of R2 205.17 per month or R508.93 per week if they are working more than 27 hours per week.
Domestic workers working less than 27 hours per week have to be paid a minimum of R1 562.21 per month or R13.53 per hour.
The upward adjustment takes effect as from December 1 and is part of an annual binding determination by the minister of labour in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA).
In terms of sectoral determination (SD), which governs the basic wage, and conditions of employers of the vulnerable domestic workers, it divides the sector into two geographic areas: areas A and B.
Area A includes all urban areas with municipalities such as Buffalo City, City of Tshwane, Emalahleni and Johannesburg. Area B includes those municipalities not included in area A, including Polokwane.
The minimum wages for domestic workers who work more than 27 hours per week will be as follows:
Area A
R12.42 up from R11.44 in 2015/2016 hourly rate,
R559.09 up from the R514.82 for 2015/2016 weekly rate.
R2 422.54 up from R2 230.70 in 2015/2016) monthly rate.
Area B
R11.31 up from R10.23 in 2015/2016 hourly rate,
R508.93 up from R460.15 in 2015/2016 weekly rate.
R2 205.17 up from R1 993.82 in 2015/2016 monthly rate.
The minimum wages for domestic workers who work less than 27 hours per week will be as follows:
Area A
R14.54 up from R13.39 in 2015/2016 hourly rate,
R392.58 up from R361.50 in 2015/2016 weekly rate.
R1 701.06 up from R1 566.35 in 2015/2016 monthly rate.
Area B
R13.53 up from R12.07 in 2015/2016 hourly rate,
R360.54 up from R325.98 in 2015/2016 weekly rate.
R1 562.21 up from R1 412.49 in 2015/2016 monthly rate.
Domestic workers include housekeepers‚ gardeners‚ nannies‚ domestic drivers among others.
