New wage laws for domestic workers start this week

New wage laws come into force this month for those hiring domestic wage workers for more than 27 hours a week.
 
As of this week (6 January 2015) domestic workers are now entitled to earn R16.98 hourly if they work in metropolitan areas, while those working in rural areas must earn at least R15.47 an hour.
 
This follows the Department of Labour's Domestic Worker Sector national public hearings which took place last year.
 
The hearings were in order to review the current three-year cycle of sectoral determination (DS). The DS prescribes the minimum wage and also looks at the conditions of employment for the sector.
 
"The 2014 General Elections Manifesto of the African National Congress committed the ANC government to investigating the modalities for the introduction of a national minimum wage.
 
"This commitment was made in the interest of reducing South Africa's massive income inequality and to ensure a living wage for all workers," said African National Congress (ANC) national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa in a statement last year.
 
A report on the national minimum wage, which is meant to address exploitation of workers by those who employ them as well, is expected for July 2015.