-by Newsbreak's Taresh Harreeparshad. 

While many have welcomed the recent announcement of a National Minimum Wage increase, others have criticised the amount considering the rising cost of living. The National Minimum Wage for 2026 will next month increase from R28.79cents to R30.23cents per hour - translating into a R1.44cents per hour increase. The increase, which will take effect on the 1st of March, will benefit all workers, including vulnerable farm workers and domestic workers. Deputy Director-General: Labour Policy and Industrial Relations at the Department of Employment and Labour, Thembinkosi Mkalipi, says employer affordability plays a key role in determining the amount at which the National Minimum Wage can be increased. Meanwhile UKZN Economics lecturer Dr Simiso Msomi and Programme Coordinator for the Pietermaritzburg Economic Justice and Dignity Group Mervyn Abrahams also weighed in.