Relief on the way as minister adjusts Domestic Sector wages

30 Nov 2011

Christmas could not have come earlier for domestic workers in South Africa this year. The move follows an act of benevolence by the Minister of Labour Mildred Oliphant in which she decrees that domestic workers be given an annual increase at the beginning of December 1 (tomorrow).

The adjustment is part of an annual binding determination by the Minister in terms of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act. It is applied once the adjustments have been placed on Government gazette which provides official notification of decisions or actions taken by, or information from, government departments among others.

This year, for the period 1 December 2011 to 30 November 2012, the minimum wage for domestic workers who work 27 ordinary hours per week or less in Area A, the minimum wages for workers hourly rate will rise from R9, 12 per hour to R 9,85; and from R 246,30 per week to R 265,94; and scale up from R 1 067.15 to R1 152,32 per month.

"Those who work more than 27 ordinary hours per week in Area A - the minimum wage will rise from R7,72 per hour to R8,34, increase from R 347.79 to R 375,19 per week and nudge higher from R1 506,35 to R1 625,70 per month," said Page Boikanyo, Department of Labour spokesperson.

The Sectoral determination divides the Domestic Sector into two geographic areas: that is Area A and B. Area A includes all urban areas with Municipalities such as Bergrivier, Buffalo City, City of Tshwane, Emalahleni, Richtersveld, Nama Khoi, Johannesburg and others, while Area B includes those municipalities not included in Area A.

Similar increases will be enacted in Area B where workers who work 27 ordinary hours per week or less will now earn a minimum of R 8,33 per hour; a weekly minimum of R 224,90 and a minimum monthly rate of R 974,49, Boikanyo said.

In the Area B where workers work more than 27 ordinary hours per week the minimum hourly rate will be R7,06; while the weekly minimum rate will be R 317,62 and the monthly rate will rise to R 1 376,25.

Oliphant has appealed to employers to be fair to domestic workers as they were an integral part of the economy.

"We would like to appeal to those who pay their workers well not to lower wages. The sectoral determination is really about absolute minimum that workers must earn and not the maximum," Oliphant said.

Sectoral determination deals with the protection of workers in vulnerable sectors/areas of work. The determination sets minimum working hours, minimum wages, number of leave days and termination rules.

The determination has now expanded to include other sectors such forestry; contract cleaning; children workers in the performance of advertising, artistic and cultural activities; taxi sector; farm worker; civil engineering; hospitality; learnerships; private security sector; wholesale and retail sector.

"For those domestic employers who choose to ignore this Domestic Worker Sector determination and disregard the law, they must know that the Department of Labour will be watching vigilantly. Employees are encouraged to report non-compliance at their nearest Labour Centres. The department will intensify enforcement of law during its routine and blitz inspections," Boikanyo said.

Statement issued by Page Boikanyo, Department of Labour, November 30 2011

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