Labour federation FEDUSA slams 3.8% national minimum wage increase

The Federation of Unions of South Africa said it was outraged after the employment and labour minister only increased the statutory minimum wage by 3.8 percent to R20.76 an hour with effect from March 1. Picture: Simphiwe Mbokazi/African News Agency (ANA) Archives

JOHANNESBURG – The Federation of Unions of South Africa said it was outraged after the employment and labour minister only increased the statutory minimum wage by 3.8 percent to R20.76 an hour with effect from March 1.

The country’s National Minimum Wage Act came into effect at the beginning of 2019, compeling all employers in the formal non-agricultural sector to pay their workers a minimum wage of R20 an hour or R3,500 a month. 

The minimum wage for farm and domestic workers was pegged at 90 percent and 80 percent of those in the formal non-agriculture sector respectively.

In its statement late on Tuesday, FEDUSA said the latest adjustment to the minimum wage was “totally unjustifiable and in serious conflict with the vision of ejecting millions of South Africans out of the poverty trap when the legislation was crafted during lengthy deliberations in the National Economic Development and Labour Council”.

FEDUSA had rejected an initial call of a five increase at the end of January.

Source: iol.co.za