What is the minimum wage for a domestic driver in East London?

The national minimum wage for a domestic worker — including a domestic driver — is R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026. It applies everywhere in South Africa, including East London. A domestic driver who reports for work must be paid for at least 4 hours, so the daily minimum is R 120,92.

How much should a domestic driver earn per month in East London?

At the legal minimum of R30.23/hour and a typical weekdays, often split around school and work runs pattern of 40 hours a week, a domestic driver earns about R 5 239,87 per month gross. This is a legal minimum, not a market average. Drivers with a clean record, a PrDP, or who double up on security or errands often earn above the minimum, and the responsibility of transporting children usually carries a premium — but those are negotiated market rates over the legal floor.

What does a domestic driver usually do?

A domestic driver is a worker who drives the household and handles transport-related errands. Typical responsibilities include school runs and ferrying family members safely, shopping, collections and household errands by car, keeping the vehicle clean, fuelled and roadworthy. A driver employed by a private household is a domestic worker under the National Minimum Wage Act, so the same hourly floor applies. Importantly, waiting and standby time between trips is working time and must be paid — a driver is not only paid for the minutes the car is moving.

How much UIF for a domestic driver?

UIF is 1% deducted from the worker plus 1% paid by the employer. On a gross of about R 5 239,87, that is roughly R 52,40 off the worker and R 52,40 from the employer each month, up to the R17 712 monthly ceiling.

Legal minimum 2026

Domestic driver salary in East London (2026)

What you legally have to pay a domestic driver — a worker who drives the household and handles transport-related errands — in East London this year: the national minimum wage, the 4-hour daily minimum, an estimated monthly gross for a typical weekdays, often split around school and work runs pattern, and the UIF on top.

These are legal minimums, not market rates

The figures below are the minimum you may pay by law from 1 March 2026. They are not market averages — many households in East London pay more depending on experience, hours, live-in arrangements and duties.

Minimum hourly

R30.23

National minimum wage, from 1 March 2026

Daily minimum (4-hour rule)

R 120,92

A worker who reports must be paid for at least 4 hours

Estimated monthly gross

R 5 239,87

Typical 40 hours/week at minimum wage

UIF (1% + 1%)

R 52,40 + R 52,40

Deducted from worker + paid by employer

What a domestic driver typically does

A domestic driver is a worker who drives the household and handles transport-related errands. The usual arrangement is weekdays, often split around school and work runs. Day to day, the role tends to cover:

school runs and ferrying family members safely
shopping, collections and household errands by car
keeping the vehicle clean, fuelled and roadworthy
waiting time between trips, which is paid working time

A driver employed by a private household is a domestic worker under the National Minimum Wage Act, so the same hourly floor applies. Importantly, waiting and standby time between trips is working time and must be paid — a driver is not only paid for the minutes the car is moving.

How the domestic driver minimum is worked out

South Africa sets a single national minimum wage for domestic workers — R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026 — and it applies in East London just like everywhere else. A typical domestic driver working 8 hours a day, 5 days a week does 40 hours a week, which comes to about R 5 239,87 a month gross at the minimum rate.

On top of the wage, both you and the worker pay 1% UIF on the gross (up to the R17 712 monthly ceiling). The worker's 1% comes off their pay; your 1% is paid by you and is not deducted.

What's a fair rate above the minimum?

The figures above are the legal floor. Drivers with a clean record, a PrDP, or who double up on security or errands often earn above the minimum, and the responsibility of transporting children usually carries a premium — but those are negotiated market rates over the legal floor. Treat any above-minimum range as an estimate and a guide — the load-bearing legal fact is the R30.23/hour minimum, not the market range.

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Domestic driver pay in East London — quick answers

What is the minimum wage for a domestic driver in East London?: The national minimum wage for a domestic worker — including a domestic driver — is R30.23 per hour from 1 March 2026. It applies everywhere in South Africa, including East London. A domestic driver who reports for work must be paid for at least 4 hours, so the daily minimum is R 120,92.
How much should a domestic driver earn per month in East London?: At the legal minimum of R30.23/hour and a typical weekdays, often split around school and work runs pattern of 40 hours a week, a domestic driver earns about R 5 239,87 per month gross. This is a legal minimum, not a market average. Drivers with a clean record, a PrDP, or who double up on security or errands often earn above the minimum, and the responsibility of transporting children usually carries a premium — but those are negotiated market rates over the legal floor.
What does a domestic driver usually do?: A domestic driver is a worker who drives the household and handles transport-related errands. Typical responsibilities include school runs and ferrying family members safely, shopping, collections and household errands by car, keeping the vehicle clean, fuelled and roadworthy. A driver employed by a private household is a domestic worker under the National Minimum Wage Act, so the same hourly floor applies. Importantly, waiting and standby time between trips is working time and must be paid — a driver is not only paid for the minutes the car is moving.
How much UIF for a domestic driver?: UIF is 1% deducted from the worker plus 1% paid by the employer. On a gross of about R 5 239,87, that is roughly R 52,40 off the worker and R 52,40 from the employer each month, up to the R17 712 monthly ceiling.

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Dignita is a compliance tool, not legal advice. Figures are based on current South African legislation; confirm with a labour-law professional for your situation.