Decent Minimum Wages in South Africa and the Region

 

In 2019, South Africa instituted a national minimum wage. The IEJ played a leading role, inside and outside Parliament, attempting to secure the best outcome for workers and the economy. This follows the work of the National Minimum Wage Research Initiative which was the forerunner to the IEJ. See the NMW-RI website here.

The IEJ plans to build on this to support effective implementation of the NMW, and its improvement, particularly to support vulnerable workers. Combined with this the IEJ will embark on a programme of developing a Living Wage Coalition, together with trade unions and community organisations.

At the level of the region the IEJ is working with the ITUC on a project to research and support improvements of minimum wage systems on the continent, and to build a minimum wage network, to advance the objective of decent work.