Domestic work is still one of the most common forms of employment in South Africa — and one of the easiest areas for employers to get wrong without meaning to.

With the 2026 minimum wage in place, many households are asking the same question: how much should you be paying your domestic worker per hour, per day or per month, and what counts as “fair” beyond the bare minimum?

Here’s a practical guide to help you calculate the right rate and stay on the right side of the law.

From 1 March 2026, the national minimum wage in South Africa is R30.23 per ordinary hour worked — and domestic workers are entitled to the same hourly minimum.

That means if you employ domestic help (full-time or part-time), your starting point is to work from the hours actually worked and ensure the total pay for ordinary hours meets or exceeds the minimum wage.

The Department of Employment and Labour’s own National Minimum Wage Commission recommended the 2026 adjustment (CPI + 1.5%), and the updated rate was then formally gazetted for implementation from March.

What the minimum wage works out to in real life (2026)

Using the R30.23/hour minimum:

• 4-hour minimum (important for short shifts): R120.92 per day
• 8-hour day: R241.84 per day
• 45-hour week (BCEA “ordinary hours” cap): R1,360.35 per week
• Monthly estimate (45 hours/week averaged over a year): ±R5,894.85 per month
• Monthly estimate (40 hours/week averaged): ±R5,239.87 per month

Also note: under section 9A of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, a worker who works less than four hours on any day must generally still be paid for four hours (if they earn below the earnings threshold).

What you can’t count as “wages” to reach the minimum

If you give extras like transport money, food, tools/equipment, or accommodation, those may be part of overall remuneration — but they generally don’t count when calculating whether the worker’s wage for ordinary hours meets the national minimum wage.

Useful tip for employers

If you pay daily/weekly/monthly (not strictly hourly), keep a simple record of:
days worked + start/end times + agreed rate + any overtime/Sunday/public holiday work — so you can show the hourly equivalent is at least R30.23 for ordinary hours.

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