South Africa
National Minimum Wage Act compliance, made simple
9 yes/no questions on the National Minimum Wage Act: whether everyone is paid at least the minimum, how you calculate the hourly rate, special categories, deductions, and records. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
ComplianceDesk gives you 11 pre-built National Minimum Wage Act controls, an evidence vault, audit-ready reports, and reminders before anything falls overdue — so proving National Minimum Wage Act compliance stops being a spreadsheet exercise.
Take the free self-assessment: a score for each area and a list of gaps to close.
What is National Minimum Wage Act?
9 yes/no questions on the National Minimum Wage Act: whether everyone is paid at least the minimum, how you calculate the hourly rate, special categories, deductions, and records. You get a score for each area and a list of gaps with what to do about each one.
- Official name
- National Minimum Wage
- Status
- In force. Shown as in force as we understand it. Check the current text with the regulator or an attorney, since provisions can be amended or commence at different times.
Who it applies to
- Whether it applies to you depends on your size, activities and licences. Use the free "Which laws apply to me?" checker, or read the first section of the self-assessment.
- The national minimum wage rose to R30.23 per ordinary hour from 1 March 2026 (reported as a 5% increase on R28.79 and gazetted by the Minister of Employment and Labour). It is reviewed every year, so always check the current rate.
What you have to do
Paying at least the minimum
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Do you pay every worker at least the current national minimum wage for each ordinary hour worked, including domestic and farm workers? When you work out an hourly rate, do you divide the correct pay by the hours actually worked, and not count amounts that the Act does not allow? Do you check the rate for piece-rate, commission and part-time workers, so that they also receive at least the minimum for the hours they work? Do you apply sectoral determinations or bargaining council rates if they set a higher minimum for your sector?
Special categories and exemptions
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: If you employ workers on the Expanded Public Works Programme or on learnerships, do you pay the specific rates set for them? If you cannot afford the minimum, have you applied to the Department of Employment and Labour for an exemption and kept the approval, rather than just paying less?
Deductions, records and complaints
A business should be able to show that it can answer yes to these: Do you make deductions from pay only where the BCEA allows (for example law, agreement or order), and not so that pay falls below the minimum? Do you keep records of hours worked and pay for each employee, and give a payslip each pay period? Do you let employees raise a complaint if they believe they are underpaid, and respond fairly and without victimisation?
How to comply, step by step
- Paying at least the minimum. Check every employee's hourly rate against the current minimum, and update payroll the month the rate changes. Calculate each person's hourly rate on a monthly basis from their ordinary pay and ordinary hours, and keep the workings. Compare each worker's earnings per hour against the minimum every pay period. Answer Not applicable if you have none. Find out whether a sectoral determination or council agreement covers you, and use the higher rate.
- Special categories and exemptions. Get the current rate for each special category from the Department's website. Answer Not applicable if you employ none. Do not pay below the minimum without an approved exemption. Apply through the Department and keep the written decision. Answer Not applicable if you pay the minimum or more.
- Deductions, records and complaints. List every deduction you make and the authority for it, and check that no deduction pushes pay below the minimum. Keep time and pay records for three years, as the BCEA requires, and issue payslips with the hourly rate shown. Tell staff how to raise a pay query, check it promptly, and pay any shortfall with back pay.
Sources and review status
Compiled from the public sources below. It is not legal advice and has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Last researched 2026-11-01. This is general information, not legal advice. Laws change, so check the current text and the regulator's notices before relying on it.
Every National Minimum Wage Act control, organised for you
The real control library ComplianceDesk seeds the moment you activate National Minimum Wage Act — 11 controls across 4 categories.
Minimum Wage Compliance
- NMWA-1.1 Current minimum wage rate confirmed annually
- NMWA-1.2 All workers paid at or above the minimum
- NMWA-1.3 Effective hourly rate calculated correctly
- NMWA-1.4 Special categories identified
Deductions & Allowances
- NMWA-2.1 Deductions do not reduce pay below the minimum
- NMWA-2.2 In-kind payments treated correctly
Records & Worker Information
- NMWA-3.1 Wage records kept
- NMWA-3.2 Written particulars and payslips provided
- NMWA-3.3 Contractors and labour brokers checked
Inspection Readiness
- NMWA-4.1 Inspection-ready wage file
- NMWA-4.2 Underpayment complaints handled
Frequently asked questions
How can I check where my business stands on National Minimum Wage?
Take the free self-assessment. It scores each area, lists your gaps with what to do about each one, and does not say you are compliant. You can save the result to ComplianceDesk to turn each gap into a task with an owner and a due date.
Is this guide written by a lawyer?
No. It was assembled from the public sources listed below and has not been reviewed by a lawyer. Treat it as a starting point and check the current law before relying on it.
How many controls does ComplianceDesk track for National Minimum Wage Act?
11, organised into 4 categories, ready to assign to an owner as soon as you activate the framework.
Can I track National Minimum Wage Act alongside other frameworks?
Yes — most teams activate several frameworks at once. Controls that overlap across frameworks can share the same evidence, so you don't collect the same document twice.
How long does it take to set up National Minimum Wage Act in ComplianceDesk?
Activating National Minimum Wage Act instantly seeds its full control library. Most teams assign owners and get their first controls moving within a day.
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