On 8 February 2021 it was announced in the Government Gazette that the following amendments have been made to the national minimum wage, effective 1 March 2021:

• The national minimum wage has been increased to R21.69 per hour;
• The minimum wage for farmworkers has been increased to R21.69 per hour;
• The minimum wage for domestic workers has been increased to R19.09 per hour;
• The minimum wage for workers employed on an expanded public works programme has been increased to R11.93 per hour.

In addition to the above, the earning threshold in terms of section 6(3) of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No75 of 1997, has been increased from R205 433.30 per annum to R211 596.30 per annum.  This entails that all employees who earn less than R211 596.30 per annum are subject to section 9;10;11;12;14;15;16;17(2) and 18(3) of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. These section mainly regulate working hours, overtime, work on Sundays and public holidays and rest intervals.

All the above amendments are effective from 1 March 2021. Should an employer be unable to comply with the amendments an exemption application will have to be submitted to the Labour Department.