The National Minimum Wage Act 9 of 2018 (Act) was enacted to advance economic development and social justice by, inter alia, improving the wages of the lowest paid workers, and protecting workers from unreasonably low wages by establishing the national minimum wage (NMW).
In accordance with the requirements of section 6(5) of the Act, the Minister of Employment and Labour published the adjusted NMW rates in the Government Gazette on 3 February 2026, increasing the rates as follows:
Workers who have learnership agreements (section 17 of the Skills Development Act 97 of 1998):
Wholesale and retail sector
Bergrivier, Breede Valley, Buffalo City, Cape Agulhas, Cederberg, City of Cape Town, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, City of Tshwane,
Drakenstein, Ekurhuleni, Emalahleni, Emfuleni, Ethekwini Metropolitan Unicity, Gamagara, George, Hibiscus Coast, Karoo Hoogland, Kgatelopele, Khara
Hais, Knysna, Kungwini, Kouga, Hessequa local authority, Lesedi, Makana, Mangaung, Matzikama, Metsimaholo, Middelburg, Midvaal, Mngeni, Mogale,
Mosselbaai, Msunduzi, Mtubatuba, Nama Khoi, Nelson Mandela, Nokeng tsa Taemane, Oudtshoorn, Overstrand, Plettenbergbaai, Potchefstroom,
Randfontein, Richtersveld, Saldanha Bay, Sol Plaatjie, Stellenbosch, Swartland, Swellendam, Theewaterskloof, Umdoni, uMhlathuze and Witzenberg.
Metropolitan and local municipalities not mentioned in the table above:
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