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The New Age reports that, w the Department of Labour is set to implement increases to the new minimum wage for farm and forestry workers in March, stakeholders yesterday (Thusday) still have some concerns.
On Tuesday, it announced that the new minimum wage for farm and forestry workers is set to increase by 5.6%. The monthly minimum wage was set at R3 169,19, weekly at R731,41, daily at R146, 28 and hourly at R16,25.
Agri SA, a federation of agricultural organisations, said while it largely welcomed the announcement, no consideration was given in terms of when the national minimum wage comes in, which set is to be implemented for May 1, 2018.
“What we are concerned about is when the national minimum wage comes in, the total increase from now until the first of May including the sectoral determination increases will be about 17%.
“This as nobody wants to be in the position whereby increases cause job losses,” Agri SA head of labour and development Jahni De Villiers said.
Currently the partment is conducting countrywide national minimum wage briefings, which will run until February.
Since its announcement by Cabinet last year, it said the minimum wage had been set at the rate of R3 200 per month or R20 per hour. However, low-income professions such as farm workers and domestic workers would be exempted.
De Villiers said considering the current drought, the farmers are concerned about the impact of increases for workers on their business.
The Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) said the set increase was not what they wanted. “We would have loved a 10% increase for our farm members, as they deserve it,” general secretary Katishi Masemola said.
The New Age’s attempts to get a response from the department proved unsuccessful.
The original of this report by Refilwe Magashule appeared on page 4 of The New Age of 26 January 2018
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