National Minimum Wage (Possible Adjustment)

South Africa has a National Minimum Wage (NMW) — a legal floor below which no employer may pay a worker. This minimum wage is not fixed forever; it is reviewed every year to check whether it still makes sense given changes in the cost of living, the state of the economy, and conditions in the labour market. The body responsible for carrying out this annual review is the National Minimum Wage Commission, an independent body established under South African law to study wage data, consult stakeholders, and make recommendations to the Minister of Employment and Labour. Each year the Commission goes through a process of gathering evidence and public input before it writes its annual report and formal recommendations. That process is now open for 2026.

This process affects a very wide range of South Africans. Workers — especially those in low-wage jobs such as domestic work, farm work, retail, hospitality, security, and cleaning — are directly affected because the NMW sets the absolute lowest amount they can legally be paid. A higher NMW means more money in their pockets; a lower or unchanged one means their buying power may continue to be eroded by inflation.

Employers, from small businesses and households employing domestic workers to large companies in labour-intensive industries, are affected because any upward adjustment increases their wage bill. Small and micro businesses in particular may feel the pressure more sharply.

Labour unions and worker organisations have a strong interest because the NMW affects their members' livelihoods and collective bargaining positions. Business associations and industry bodies are equally interested because wage costs affect competitiveness, employment levels, and investment decisions.

The general public is also affected indirectly — changes in the minimum wage can influence prices for goods and services, levels of employment, and the overall health of household spending across the country.

No specific adjustment amount or percentage has been announced yet — this notice is the consultation stage that comes before any decision is made. The National Minimum Wage Commission is inviting written submissions from any person or organisation who wants to share their views on whether, and by how much, the national minimum wage should be adjusted.

Submissions must be received by no later than Friday, 4 September 2026, and can be emailed to Mr Gavin Hartford at nmwreview@labour.gov.za. In addition to a written submission, participants are asked to complete an online survey questionnaire, which will help the Department of Employment and Labour analyse the inputs and prepare a more detailed report.

After the Commission has gathered all the inputs, it will publish its annual report later in 2026. Once that report is published, there will be a second round of consultation where interested parties can respond specifically to the recommendations contained in that report. Those written responses, together with the Commission's own report, will then be forwarded to the Minister of Employment and Labour, who will ultimately make the decision on any adjustment.

The national minimum wage directly determines the take-home pay of millions of South Africa's lowest-paid workers. South Africa has very high levels of income inequality and poverty, and the NMW exists precisely to ensure that working people earn at least a basic dignified wage. If the wage is not adjusted — or not adjusted enough — workers whose pay sits at or near the minimum will effectively earn less in real terms every year as the cost of food, transport, and electricity continues to rise.

At the same time, setting the wage too high too quickly can place strain on businesses, particularly small employers, and could in theory lead some employers to cut staff or hire fewer people. Getting the balance right matters enormously, and that balance depends on the Commission hearing from real people — workers, employers, and communities — about what is actually happening on the ground.

This consultation is therefore a genuine opportunity for ordinary South Africans to influence a decision that will affect millions of households. Workers who feel the current minimum wage is not enough to live on, employers who want to explain the pressures they face, and community organisations who see the effects of low wages every day all have a voice here — but only if they submit their comments before 4 September 2026.