Ensuring Fair Compensation: How Much Should You Pay Your Domestic Worker?

South African law (under Sectoral Determination 7) sets out minimum wages required to be paid to domestic workers. The Department of Labour updates the minimum wages for domestic workers annually. The following update came into effect on 01 December 2015.

In major metropolitan areas:

• Domestic workers who ordinarily work more than 27 hours per week must be paid at a rate that is not less than:
  • Hourly rate: R11,44 per hour;
  • Weekly rate: R514,82 per week; or
  • Monthly rate: R2 230,70 per month.

• Domestic workers who ordinarily work 27 hours per week or less must be paid at a rate that is not less than:
  • Hourly rate: R13,39 per hour;
  • Weekly rate: R361,50 per week; or
  • Monthly rate: R1 566,35 per month.

In other areas:

• Domestic workers who ordinarily work more than 27 hours per week must be paid at a rate that is not less than:
  • Hourly rate: R10,23 per hour;
  • Weekly rate: R460,15 per week; or
  • Monthly rate: R1 993,82 per month.

• Domestic workers who work 27 hours per week or less must be paid at a rate that is not less than:
  • Hourly rate: R12,07 per hour;
  • Weekly rate: R325,98 per week; or
  • Monthly rate: R1 412,49 per month.

These rates are applicable up until 30 November 2016. On 01 December 2016, these rates will increase at:

• CPI + 2.5% (for major metropolitan areas); and
• CPI + 4.5% (for all other areas).

This applies to all domestic workers, which includes domestic help such as gardeners, housekeepers, child-minders, domestic drivers.

Note that this excludes workers who work on a farm, and workers who are covered under any other sectoral determination, or under a bargaining council agreement.

Make sure that you also have a Domestic Workers Employment Contract in place, and that you register your domestic worker for UIF.

Please note that this information is supplied for general information and does not constitute legal advice. It is advisable for you to contact a legal practitioner for guidance in respect of your unique requirements.