What the new Living Wage really means to low earning South Africans
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GUEST - Professor Ines Meyer - Chairperson of the Living Wage South Africa Network.
Recently, Professor Ines Meyer from the University of Cape Town announced a monthly income of R15,000 net as the Living Wage figure for 2024 to the Living Wage South Africa Network (LWSAN). The amount is calculated against the self-reported quality of life of low-earning survey participants across South Africa.
In the public, this amount was met with mixed reception “A number of people insisted that R15,000 could never cover their monthly obligations,” says Ines Meyer, who is also the current chairperson of the LWSAN. She understands this sentiment. “It is hard to make ends meet on R15,000, yet most who work in South Africa earn even less.
The legally prescribed national minimum wage comes to only one third of the Living Wage. If it is difficult to live on R15,000 per month how shall those whose income is even lower get by?”.
Recently, Professor Ines Meyer from the University of Cape Town announced a monthly income of R15,000 net as the Living Wage figure for 2024 to the Living Wage South Africa Network (LWSAN). The amount is calculated against the self-reported quality of life of low-earning survey participants across South Africa.
In the public, this amount was met with mixed reception “A number of people insisted that R15,000 could never cover their monthly obligations,” says Ines Meyer, who is also the current chairperson of the LWSAN. She understands this sentiment. “It is hard to make ends meet on R15,000, yet most who work in South Africa earn even less.
The legally prescribed national minimum wage comes to only one third of the Living Wage. If it is difficult to live on R15,000 per month how shall those whose income is even lower get by?”.