The Committee on Labour will tomorrow receive a briefing from the University of Cape Town on the sectoral minimum wages in South Africa.

The Chairperson of the Committee, Ms Lumka Yengeni, says the meeting will clear confusion around the issue of whether there should be a single minimum wage which is applicable to all sectors.

“The minimum wage debate is necessary and employers should not feel jittery about it. As much as the country has a responsibility to draw in investors, it also has a responsibility to ensure that its poorest citizens and the most vulnerable are not exploited,” Ms Yengeni says.

“Merely debating minimum wages should not cause discomfort among investors, or suggest that labour laws are biased towards workers. As a developmental state, SA should be biased towards the working populace but in such a responsible manner as to attract investors and those who have the means of creating employment,” she says.
Ms Yengeni says the best way to engage on the matter is through providing positive input.