South Africa to Raise Minimum Wage 5%, Exceeding Expectations

South Africa will increase the national minimum wage for this year by more than the rate of inflation and exceeding the expectations of businesses and analysts.

The hourly minimum will rise 5% to 30.23 rand ($1.89) from next month, the government said in a notice on Tuesday. That is more than the 4.7% average advance in wages analysts, businesses and labor unions expected for 2026, according to survey released by the Bureau for Economic Research on Dec. 12.

Consumer prices rose an annual 3.6% in December, while the average for 2025 cooled to 3.2%, according to Statistics South Africa.