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Labour Minister, Mildred Oliphant, has announced a R105 a day minimum wage for farm workers, up from the R69 a day that the workers currently receive.
Making the announcement in Pretoria today, Minister Oliphant said the new rate will come into effect on March 1.
"The new minimum wage... is R105 per day for employees who work nine hours a day, or R11.66 per hour, R525 weekly, or R2274.82 per month."
The new sectoral determination will be promulgated for a three-year period.
Minister Oliphant said during "years two and three" wages will be increased by CPI plus 1.5 percent."
The labour minister's announcement followed countrywide public hearings on a new minimum wage for the agriculture sector, prompted by violent protests in parts of the Western Cape.
Meanwhile, Katishi Masemola of the Food and Allied Workers Union welcomed the announcement but said it is far lower than the R150 a day they were seeking.
"We welcome this announcement because it represents a significant adjustment on the wages of farm workers from a ridiculously low R69 per day but remember this is also lower than the R150 a day that was the clarion call by farm workers," he said.
"But, we accept that we couldn't just achieve R150 at a go because that could have been more than 110% adjustment, so we are happy."
