On 4 September 2026, the Socio-Economic Rights Institute of South Africa (SERI) and Izwi Domestic Workers Alliance (Izwi) made a submission to the National Minimum Wage Commission as part of the annual review of the national minimum wage.
The submission draws on the lived experiences of domestic workers and farm workers, who are among the most precarious categories of workers, SERI’s research on food insecurity, and international human rights standards relating to fair wages. The submission argues for an upward adjustment of the minimum wage, and such an adjustment must explicitly take into account the rising costs of food and other essentials.
SERI and Izwi argue that the national minimum wage should be considered within a fair wage framework, as articulated by the International Labour Organization and United Nations human rights bodies. This framework recognises that wages should go beyond subsistence and enable workers and their families to meet essential needs, including food, housing, healthcare and education. The submission calls for the Department of Employment and Labour to monitor the implementation of the national minimum wage and develop effective enforcement mechanisms considering substantial non-compliance reported by domestic workers. The submission concludes that the national minimum wage review must take into account the lived realities and socio-economic needs of precarious workers, particularly domestic and farm workers, and the relationship between wages, food security, dignity and socio-economic rights.
This submission has been endorsed by the following organisations and unions:
- Migrant Workers' Union of South Africa (MIWUSA)
- United Domestic Workers of South Africa (UDWOSA)
- Union Against Hunger (UAH)
>> Access the submission here.