Landmark national minimum wage bill adoption a ‘historic win’
Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant says the bill will improve the lives of the lowest-paid workers, but opposition parties vote against it
The National Minimum Wage Bill, the Labour Relations Amendment Bill and the Basic Conditions of Employment Amendment Bill were adopted by the National Assembly on Tuesday evening. The adoption of the National Minimum Wage Bill was a major step in the process spearheaded by President Cyril Ramaphosa when he was deputy president and taken forward by the National Economic Development and Labour Council. The DA opposed all three bills, which will now be sent for processing by the National Council of Provinces. Cosatu welcomed the adoption of the bills, describing it as “an historic victory for millions of workers” and the outcome of a long struggle. Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant said in the debate on the bills that she was “pleased the journey towards addressing the needs of the lowest-paid workers in the labour market has reached this milestone”. She noted that the call for a national minimum wage dated back to the adoption of the Freedom Charter of 1955, and it was a call taken up ...
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