Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi has appointed the second National Minimum Wage (NMW) Commission that will advise on the setting of the national minimum wage and sectoral determinations, after a thorough consultative process with the National Economic Development and Labour Council stakeholders.

The inaugural commission's term ended on January 31.

University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) academic and economist Professor Imraan Valodia has been appointed chairperson of the new commission. He is one of the four independent candidates in the 13-member commission, and he succeeds Professor Adriaan van der Walt.

The appointments comply with the NMW Act, and appointments to serve on the NMW Commission include independent experts, and representatives of organised business, organised community and organised labour, said Nxesi.

Members of the new commission will serve for five years.

Business Unity South Africa representatives Kaizer Moyane, Jonathan Goldberg and Jahni de Villiers will represent business at the commission.

Edward Thobejane of National Council of Trade Unions, Solly Phetoe of the Congress of South African Trade Unions, and Trenton Esley of the Federation of Unions of South Africa will serve as labour representatives.

Isobel Frye of the Financial Sector Coalition Campaign, Conti Matlakala of the Women’s National Coalition and Tumelo Zwane of the South African Youth Council are the community representatives.

Valodia, Dr Neva Makgetla from Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, Mamokete Lijane from Standard Bank, and Gavin Hartford from Stakeholder Solutions will be the independent experts.

The NMW Commission replaced the Employment Conditions Commission that has been presiding over the setting of sectoral determinations.

The functions of the Commission include reviewing the NMW and recommending its adjustment and investigating and reporting to the Minister on the impact of the NMW on the economy and collective bargaining.

It also investigates income differentials and advises the Minister on measures to reduce income differentials, and sets medium-term targets for the NMW within three years of the commencement of the NMW Act

The commission also advises the Minister on sectoral determinations and on any matter concerning basic conditions of employment.

The members of the commission are appointed on a part-time basis and on terms and conditions prescribed by the Minister in consultation with the Finance Minister.