New Salary Bill Could Change How Companies Hire and Pay Workers in South Africa

• A proposed new bill in South Africa could stop employers from asking job applicants about their previous salaries during hiring processes
• BOSA deputy leader Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster wants companies to become more transparent about salaries by disclosing pay ranges in job adverts
• The draft legislation aims to tackle unfair pay practices and help workers negotiate salaries more fairly in South Africa

A proposed new bill in South Africa could bring major changes to the way salaries are discussed during job applications, promotions and transfers. The draft legislation aims to tackle unfair pay practices and make salary information more transparent for workers across the country.

Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, the deputy leader of Build One South Africa, has officially gazetted her intention to introduce the proposed bill in Parliament. The draft legislation seeks to amend the Employment Equity Act by stopping employers from using a person’s previous salary to decide what they should earn in a new position.

Read also

Eskom workers’ minimum monthly salary reportedly rises to nearly R20k

If passed, companies would no longer be allowed to ask job applicants about their current or past earnings during hiring processes. The bill also pushes for greater transparency when it comes to salaries. Employers may be required to include salary figures or salary ranges in job advertisements, promotions and transfer opportunities.

According to Business Tech, workers could also gain the right to request or share information about salary ranges for positions they already hold or roles they want to apply for.

Why the proposed changes matter

According to Hlazo-Webster, many workers remain trapped in cycles of low pay because new salaries are often based on old salaries instead of the actual value of the work. She argued that this especially affects people who were historically disadvantaged and may already have started their careers earning lower wages. She told Business Tech:

"This is exacerbated if employees and applicants are not free to request or share remuneration information. A lack of pay transparency deters qualified applicants from applying for jobs, promotions and transfers, and limits their ability to negotiate fairly during recruitment and appointment processes.”

The bill also highlights concerns around companies keeping salary information hidden, which can leave workers unsure whether they are being paid fairly compared to colleagues doing similar work. Supporters of the proposal believe more transparency could help job seekers negotiate better salaries and encourage fairer competition in the labour market.

Read also

Hundreds of social workers queued for jobs in heartbreaking KZN scenes

The proposed legislation is currently open for public comment for 30 days from 30 April 2026. South Africans who wish to comment on the draft bill can do so through the Fair Pay Bill platform linked to the proposal. She concluded:

"It is a necessary step to break the systemic inequality that has defined the South African labour market and to move towards the constitutional promise of employment justice."

3 Other Briefly News stories about laws

• Legal experts caution that CV fraud can result in dismissal, fines, or imprisonment under current legislation.
• South Africa introduced updated regulations for mayonnaise and salad dressings, focusing on oil content and stricter labelling requirements.
• South Africa’s new spam call law gives every consumer the legal right to permanently block all unwanted direct marketing contact from any company.

Source: Briefly News