What You Should Really Be Paying Your Domestic Worker in 2026

South African households are heading into 2026 with another important budget line item to revisit and this one lands close to home.

If you employ a domestic worker, gardener, or cleaner, the cost of fair and legal pay is set to rise again next year. And while the increase may look modest on paper, it carries real implications for millions of workers and the families who rely on them.

Here’s what the proposed changes mean, what the law actually requires, and why the reality of domestic worker pay in South Africa remains far more complicated than a single hourly rate.

A New Minimum Wage Is On The Table For 2026

The National Minimum Wage Commission has recommended that South Africa’s national minimum wage increase by CPI plus 1.5 percent in 2026.

If the Department of Employment and Labour signs off on the proposal, the hourly minimum wage would rise by about 5 percent.

At present, the legally mandated minimum wage sits at R28.79 per hour. Based on inflation forecasts that put CPI at around 3.5 percent in 2025, the new minimum could reach approximately R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026.

The final figure will only be confirmed once inflation data from six weeks before implementation is locked in, but economists expect it to stay close to this range.

What That Means In Rands And Cents

For employers, the change is easiest to understand when translated into weekly and monthly pay.

At an estimated R30.23 per hour:

• A 38 hour work week would amount to roughly R1,149 per week

• A 45 hour work week would come to about R1,360 per week

• A standard 160 hour work month would equal around R4,840 per month

That monthly figure is roughly R240 more than the current legal minimum of R4,600 in 2025.

There is also an important rule many employers still overlook. Under South African labour law, domestic workers must be paid for a minimum of four hours per day, even if they work fewer hours. In practice, that pushes the daily minimum pay to around R121 per day in 2026.

The Gap Between Law And Reality

While domestic workers have been fully covered by the National Minimum Wage since 2022, real-world pay tells a more uneven story.

Stats SA data paints a worrying picture at the lower end of the market. Median monthly pay for domestic workers sits at about R2,350, which works out to roughly R14.69 an hour in a full work month. That is nearly half of the legal minimum.

Salary tracking platforms reflect just how wide the gap can be. MyWage.co.za shows entry-level domestic workers earning just under R2,600 per month, while more experienced workers employed by higher-income households can earn upwards of R7,300.

One of the most detailed looks at the sector comes from SweepSouth’s 2025 domestic worker survey. According to its findings, the median domestic worker earns R3,932 per month, still below the legal minimum.

Workers operating through the SweepSouth platform fare better, with a median income of R5,545 per month, comfortably above the minimum wage threshold.

Hourly Work And The Gig Reality

Domestic work in South Africa often does not fit neatly into full-time employment models. Many workers juggle multiple households, part-time shifts, and informal arrangements.

On an hourly basis, SweepSouth data shows domestic workers earning an average of R33.71 per hour. While this is above the proposed 2026 minimum, it is actually lower than the platform’s 2024 average, suggesting that rising living costs are not always translating into higher real earnings.

Why This Matters Beyond Your Budget

On social media, the proposed increase has sparked mixed reactions. Some employers argue that repeated wage hikes are becoming difficult to absorb amid rising food, fuel, and school costs. Others have pointed out that domestic workers are often the first to feel economic pressure, with little job security and no safety net.

Labour experts stress that minimum wage compliance is not optional. It is a legal requirement and a reflection of dignity in work, particularly in a sector shaped by South Africa’s long history of inequality.

For households employing domestic workers, 2026 is not just about adjusting numbers on a spreadsheet. It is about recognising the real cost of living and ensuring that the people who keep homes running are paid fairly and lawfully.

The final wage announcement is still to come, but the direction is clear. Paying below the minimum is no longer just unfair. It is illegal.

{Source:Business Tech}

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