Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi is calling on government to introduce sectoral minimum wages instead of just one national minimum wage.
Buthelezi was addressing party members in Richard’s Bay to mark Workers’ Day. The commemoration was preceded by a march that started from a local sports field.
The IFP handed over a memorandum to officials of the Labour Department. The demands include the creation of a national database on which job seekers will be registered.
The party is also demanding that people who are actively looking for jobs be paid an unemployment stipend.
Buthelezi says one standard minimum wage will lead to job losses.
Minimum Wage App
The National Minimum Wage Act, 2017 is set to be implemented in May 2018. However, according to the Department of Labour, the process could be delayed by one or two months.
SABC Digital News and OpenUp (formerly Code for South Africa) has partnered to develop a Minimum Wage App that will give answers to the question: “Can South Africans survive on R3 500?”
Where does the information come from?
OpenUp has used the following data sources:
- Stats SA “Poverty Trends in South Africa” report
- Pietermaritzburg Agency for Community Social Action (PACSA) “Food Price Barometer“
- Stats SA “Income and Expenditure of Households Survey”
How is it calculated?
The money available for food is calculated by subtracting the money used for other expenses from household income. It could be said that it comes after these expenses, though they are actually in conjunction with each other.
