- The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa says a proposed minimum wage of R30 per hour still leaves workers thousands of rands short of basic monthly expenses.
- Rising food and electricity prices mean minimum wage workers cannot afford nutritious meals, with staple foods like beef increasing sharply over the past year.
The General Industries Workers Union of South Africa says the proposed national minimum wage increase is an insult to workers who are already struggling to survive.
The union has reacted angrily to a proposed five percent increase, which would push the minimum wage to about R30 per hour. GIWUSA says this does nothing to change the daily reality faced by millions of low paid workers.
Based on a 21 day working month, a worker earning R30.34 per hour would take home about R5,078.64 before deductions. The union says this amount is nowhere near enough to cover basic needs.
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Research by the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group and the Living Wage South Africa Network shows a single breadwinner supporting four people needs at least R15,000 a month to live with dignity.
GIWUSA says the current minimum wage already leaves workers with a shortfall of about R2,000 every month after paying for basic expenses. The union says the proposed increase does not close this gap and leaves workers trapped in poverty.
Transport and electricity costs eat into wages early in the month. After these are paid, workers are left with too little money to buy healthy food. The union says many families are forced to skip meals or buy cheap food with little nutrition.
While overall food inflation is reported at 3.9 percent, GIWUSA says this hides sharp increases in staple foods. The price of stewing beef has risen by 30.9 percent in a year, while beef mince is up by as much as 27.1 percent. The union says meals that once fed a family are now treated as luxuries.
Electricity prices have also increased by 8.2 percent, adding more pressure to already stretched household budgets.
GIWUSA says farm workers, domestic workers, factory workers, mine workers and retail workers are the hardest hit. The union says the proposed wage increase is a betrayal of the working class and calls for a minimum wage that allows workers to live with dignity.
