Minimum wage increase today: Are SA households financially ready for the 20% increase in domestic worker salaries
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South Africa officially adopted its new minimum wage today on Tuesday (1 March 2022), where domestic workers are expected to see a 20% increase in their salaries.
This comes after the commission recommended that domestic worker salaries be increased to 100% of the National Minimum Wage – which was standing at around 88%. The adjustment represents an increase of 6.9% from the minimum wage set in 2021.
While this increase for domestic workers will certainly have a positive impact on their livelihoods, households, financial well-being, as well as that of communities given that around 900,000 women from marginalised communities form part of this group – the critical question is, can South African’s afford this, and will they be able to squeeze already tight budgets to maintain this informal employment sector?
This comes after the commission recommended that domestic worker salaries be increased to 100% of the National Minimum Wage – which was standing at around 88%. The adjustment represents an increase of 6.9% from the minimum wage set in 2021.
While this increase for domestic workers will certainly have a positive impact on their livelihoods, households, financial well-being, as well as that of communities given that around 900,000 women from marginalised communities form part of this group – the critical question is, can South African’s afford this, and will they be able to squeeze already tight budgets to maintain this informal employment sector?
