Millions of South Africans with families to support are living under the boot of exploitation, expected to be grateful for the peanuts they 'earn' as they do back breaking work for minimum wage.
This heart-breaking reality can be observed with those who are informal and 'low-skilled' such as domestic work, gardening, childcare and hospitality.
*Nompilo Zakhile a 38-year-old woman with a qualification in hospitality, works in the latter in an upscale building in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal's with some of the most scenic views. Her job is to manage her company's bookings and other data entry requirements.
With a vivacious and larger than life personality, Zakhile's face changes when she has to speak about her job.
"I earn a little over R5,000 per month, (a little above the minimum wage of R4,412.80) and I have two kids to support, a 12-year-old boy and a three-year old girl. I am fully responsible for my son because his father passed on while my daughter's father assists me," she told IOL.
Her son who is in grade 7 goes to a public school so Zakhile does not have to worry about school, which she said, she is grateful for. However, she still has to fork out cash for uniform and lunch. Additionally, she lives at home, so she does not pay rent. Yet, her salary still falls short.
"With the money I earn, it's very difficult," she added. "I work five days a week, so I spent over R1,500 a month on transport. I contribute towards the groceries at home, buy nappies for my toddler and toiletries."
@iolnews A 38-year-old woman from Durban, KwaZulu-Natal barely gets by on her minimum wage salary and she ends up having to take out loans to survive. #news #survivingonminimumwage #costofliving #debtscrisis #fyp #southafrica ♬ original sound - IOL NEWS
She told IOL that she does not have job security is buckling under the burden of her expenses and claimed that she deserves more for the amount work that she does. Zakhile also claimed that there are illegal practices in her workplace.
"Our boss does not make it easy. Sometimes we don't get paid on time. Right now, we haven't been paid in close to two months," she explained. Every month she said she ends up having to borrow money just to get by.
Zakhile said her and her colleague's labour is essentially stolen under an indifferent chief executive.
Not dissimilar to Zakhile, *Sinenhlanhla Dlamini, 30, also from Durban faces the same challenges as expenses supersede her salary and has to rely on loans to make ends meet.
Dlamini works as a cleaner and lives in Umlazi. She earns between R3,600 (below the minimum wage) to R4,500 per month. With two children, she pays R370 a month for school transport and R580 for rent.
Additionally, she pays for food, transport and more. She was reluctant to open up about her finances but emphasised that it is not nearly enough. Dlamini is a regular to her local loan shark. So, when she gets paid her money is already gone.
"If I was paid at least R5,000, perhaps I would have a better shot of paying every expense without having to get a huge loan. I do work hard. I believe I work hard," she said.
*Luthando Shezi, a 25-year-old man from Pietermaritzburg can relate to the stories of these women. With a qualification in business administration, he said job opportunities are few and far in between.
He is currently working in Umhlanga as a call center agent. His minimum pay is a little over R4,000, but he is grateful to have a job in this state of the nation's unemployment crisis. "My rent is R1,500 per month for a room that I share with someone. That is a lot of money for a tiny space. I don't even have privacy," Shezi told IOL.
He also buys food for close to R1,300 a month, which he said is not enough and he survives on instant noodles about a week before payday. Shezi, who has three siblings sends R500 home a month and the rest is spent on toiletries and emergencies.
The National Minimum Wage Commission recommends a 1.5% + CPI rise in the national minimum wage for 2025. This modification will increase the hourly minimum pay from R27.58 to R28.79, resulting in a monthly salary of R5,182.20 for a full-time worker.
"The cost of essential goods and services continues to rise, necessitating wages that reflect the actual cost of living. The Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group (PMBEJD) reported that the price of a household food basket surged from R3,199.86 in 2019 to R5,383.38 in December 2024—a staggering 68% increase.
"A worker earning the proposed minimum wage would still face a R201.18 shortfall after purchasing only food without accounting for transport, electricity, and other necessities," said the South African Federation of Trade Unions (Sadtu).
*Not their real names. Changed for privacy.
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