What are the working hours in South Africa?
Asked by: Olin Kris | Last update: December 22, 2025Score: 4.1/5 (17 votes)
The maximum normal working time allowed (section 9 BCEA) is 45 hours weekly. This is 9 hours per day (excluding
What are the standard work hours in South Africa?
Standard Hours in South Africa
Normal working hours: The standard working hours in South Africa are 08h00 to 16h00 or 09h00 to 17h00.
What are working days in South Africa?
Working days (or business days) commonly refer to the days that most South Africans are at work, namely Monday to Friday. Working days excludes government-recognised public holidays such as New Years Day, Human Rights Day, Good Friday, etc.
What are the business hours in South Africa?
For the most part, businesses are open on weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Offices are closed on Saturdays and Sundays. On Saturdays, shops are open until 1.00 p.m. and banks until 11.00 a.m.
What time is lunch in South Africa?
South Africa is a very diverse country, but for the most part, dining etiquette is similar to that of the British. In short, people eat breakfast between 6:00 and 9:00, lunch around 13:00, and dinner at 19:00 or 20:00. Many South Africans still take the time to enjoy afternoon tea, too.
What Are The Working Hours In South Africa | Careers Portal
What is the minimum wage in South Africa?
As of 2024, the national minimum wage in South Africa is R27. 58 per hour. This rate is applicable to all workers, including farm workers and domestic workers.
What is a typical breakfast in South Africa?
Some kinds of breakfasts that can be found in South Africa include putupap (a cornmeal porridge that is very similar to grits), mealie bread or corn bread, or beskuit—a crispy, sweet bread that is very similar to rusk. As usual, breakfast is not without a cup of coffee or tea!
How long is the average work day in South Africa?
This is 9 hours per day (excluding lunch break) if the employee works a five-day week, and 8 hours per day (excluding lunch break) if the employee works more than 5 days per week.
Is lunch paid or unpaid in South Africa?
The employee may therefore be expected to work more than 45 hours per week. It must be taken into consideration that meal and tea breaks are not included in the calculation of working hours and will therefore be unpaid. As meal breaks are unpaid the employee can for instance read a book or go and do some shopping.
What are the rules for shift work in South Africa?
For example, an employee can agree to work shifts of 12 hours over 4 working days. Overtime is voluntary. No worker may work more than 10 hours of overtime per week. Overtime must be paid per hour of overtime worked, at a rate of one and a half times the worker's ordinary hourly wage.
How many days off do employees get in South Africa?
the employee is entitled to 21 consecutive days annual leave on full pay in every leave cycle. a “leave cycle” means a period of 12 months commencing from the first day of employment or commencing from the end of the previous leave cycle.
Do banks open on Saturday in South Africa?
National banks have branches across South Africa. Bank branches are generally open from 9am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday (sometimes up to 4–5pm), and 8:30am to 11am on Saturdays (sometimes up to 12-1pm). Some branches open on Sunday mornings, but this is rare.
What day is casual day in South Africa?
Casual Day takes place annually on the first Friday in September.
What is the minimum wage in South Africa retail?
National Minimum wage
The minimum wage of R25. 42 per hour increased to R27,58 per hour with effect 1 March 2024.
Does an 8 hour workday include lunch?
For example, California requires one paid 10-minute rest period for every 4 hours worked. In addition, a 30-minute meal break is required for anyone who works 5+ hours. That means in an 8-hour shift, an employee would have two rest breaks and one meal break.
What are the standby rules in South Africa?
1 An Employee shall not be on standby for more than two weeks per month, unless operational requirements dictate otherwise. 7.2. 2 The stand-by allowance shall not affect or be affected by any remuneration for overtime or emergency work worked by the employee during the period of standby duty.
Is Sunday double pay in South Africa?
(1) An employer must pay an employee who works on a Sunday at double the employee's wage for each hour worked, unless the employee ordinarily works on a Sunday, in which case the employer must pay the employee at one and one-half times the employee's wage for each hour worked.
How many working days are there in a month in South Africa?
Employees who work a 6 day week are deemed to work 26 days to complete a full month.
Can I be fired for refusing to work on my day off?
Your employer does have the right to fire you at any time. This is called at-will employment. And, yes, your company can fire you on your day off.
Is South Africa a hard working country?
South Africans are listed as the fifth most hardworking country in the world. Costa Rica, Mexico, Colombia and Turkey are the only countries spending more time on their work.
What are the results of the 4 day week in South Africa?
South Africa 4-Day Workweek Trial Results
Key results from the pilot program include: Increased mental health: 35% increase in employee mental well-being, highlighting the significant impact of a reduced work week on psychological health.
What is the average wake up time in South Africa?
On average SA wakes up at 06h24, compared to Sweden where people get up at 07h21. In 2022, data was compiled based on 941,329 men and women who shared their sleeping patterns voluntarily through the app over the past year.
What is the main meal in South Africa?
A typical meal in a Bantu-speaking, South African household is a stiff, fluffy porridge of maize meal (called pap, and very similar to American grits) with a flavorful stewed meat gravy.
What is good morning everyone in South Africa?
Hallo daar: Hello there. Haai: Hi. Goeiemôre: Good morning. Goeiedag: Good day.