17/03/2025
Publication: CWAO
Author: CWAO Press Writer
R28.79 per hour is a poverty wage!
The Sectoral Determination for workers in the Wholesale and Retail Sector contains conditions of employment for workers in this Sector, such as hours of work, leave, particulars of employment and termination of employment.
It also says what employers in the sector MUST pay as the minimum hourly wage (Wholesale and Retail bosses must not pay less).
There are different groups of workers in the Wholesale and Retail Sector who all get paid different minimum hourly wages.
The minimum hourly wage for Wholesale and Retail workers also differs from place to place in South Africa. Area A workers have one set of minimum wages, and Area B workers have another.
The national minimum wage for this sector starts at R28.79 per hour from 1 March 2025. This is pathetically low. All workers deserve more.
Question: I work in a Retail store for less than 27 hours per month. Do I still get the hourly minimum wage as set out in the Wholesale and Retail Sectoral Determination?
Answer: Workers who work 27 hours or less per week can make an agreement with the employer to get an additional 25% on top of the minimum wage in the determination.
If you work 24 hours or less per month in the sector, you are excluded from the Sectoral Determination’s conditions of employment. But you still get the minimum wage for the sector.
Your minimum will differ depending on your job and where you live
Please refer to the download for municipalities and categories
Bosses cannot reduce your wages or hours of work because the minimum wage has increased
It is an unfair labour practice for bosses to avoid paying the minimum bychanging workers’ wages, hours of work or conditions of employment.
Workers can declare an unfair labour practice dispute at the CCMA if bosses lower their wages or worsen their working conditions. Bosses are also not allowed to drop workers’ wages to R28.79 per hour if the workers already earn a higher rate.