The determination took effect from Saturday, according to Snuki Zikalala, spokesperson for Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana.
The highest wage prescribed is R14.87 per hour (or R669.57 per week or R2901.51 per month) for shop managers in urban areas down to R3.12 per hour (or R140.51 per week or R426.22 a month) for security guards in rural areas in the former TBVC region.
Other prescribed minimum wages for 2003 in urban areas include R4.03 per hour for a cashier (or R182.00 per week or R788.69 per month), R4.84 per hour for a sales person (or 218.27 rand per week or 945.88 rand per month), 3.08 rand per hour for a general assistant (or 138.73 rand per week or R601.20 per month), while an assistant manager must receive at least R6.95 per hour (or R313.13 per week or R1356.96 per month).
Wage levels will differ for intermediate and rural areas and for these positions' counterparts in the former-TBVC areas.
Wages are set for a three-year period, with 8.8% increases per annum for the second and third years. In the TBVC areas - former homeland areas - the wages will also be further adjusted on an annual basis to bring them in line with the rest of South Africa by the 2005 date.