Question NW728 to the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
05 January 2024 - NW728
Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
Whether, with reference to the recent increase in the national minimum wage, and against the background that the implementation of a national minimum wage has already forced many sheltered employment workshops attached to various non-governmental organisations to close their doors as they cannot afford to pay the national minimum wage to their employees with disabilities, she has been or intends monitoring the impact of the national minimum wage increases on vulnerable groups for the purpose of making recommendations to Cabinet that will exempt the sheltered employment workshops from implementing the national minimum wage; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
Sheltered employment workshops form part of the skills development programmes coordinated by the Department of Employment and Labour in collaboration with the Department of Social Development. This question may be directed to these relevant Departments for reply.