Fair Coffee?

As the cost of living rises faster than wages, South Africans are being urged to look beyond price tags and confront the hidden human cost of their everyday purchases. Fairtrade Africa, marking its 20th anniversary, says the country’s coffee, wine, and chocolate industries cannot thrive on a system where the people producing them still struggle to survive.

Launching the third edition of its ‘Be Fair Right Now’ campaign this November, the organisation is calling on consumers to use their buying power to close the gap between minimum wages and living wages – an issue increasingly central to South Africa’s inequality crisis.

“Building fairness from the ground up means ensuring that the people behind our everyday luxuries can live and work with dignity,” says Zinhle Ndlovu, Head of Region, Southern Africa Network at Fairtrade Africa. “When you pay a few rand more for a cup of coffee, you’re not just buying a beverage. You’re supporting a farmer’s ability to earn a living wage, send their children to school, and break the cycle of poverty. Fair wages are a cornerstone of sustainable development, and we are calling on South Africans to use their purchasing power to support the people whose labour makes our lives better.”

For two decades, Fairtrade Africa has stood with farmers, workers, and communities across Africa and the Middle East, working to build fairer futures from the ground up. The organisation’s mission to ensure that trade uplifts rather than exploits by setting standards for fair prices, living income, and sustainable practices has always remained constant.

Now, as Fairtrade Africa celebrates this milestone, it is challenging consumers to take up the baton and Be Fair Right Now by purchasing Fairtrade-certified brands that align with ethical and sustainable values.

Waging War on Inequality: Why Fair Compensation Matters Now More Than Ever

South Africa’s National Minimum Wage (NMW) increased from R25.42 to R27.58 per hour in March 2024 marking a crucial step toward fairer pay. According to the Employment and Labour Department this increase represents a floor level designed to protect workers from exploitation, but as inflation continues to outpace earnings, the reality remains that a minimum wage is not always a living wage.

As South Africa’s National Minimum Wage Commission considers future increases for 2026, the focus is shifting toward wage models that rise above inflation and keep pace with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to help workers retain purchasing power.

Across the globe, 432 million small-scale farms produce nearly 46% of the world’s food, yet most farmers still struggle to earn enough to cover essential needs such as food, housing, education, healthcare, and transport. This stark imbalance highlights why fair compensation and living wages, not just minimum wages, are crucial for sustainable livelihoods.

“Paying workers a wage they can live on is not just a legal or economic issue. It’s a matter of human dignity,” says Ndlovu. “A living wage means that individuals can cover basic needs without falling into a cycle of poverty. South Africa’s current minimum wage improvements are a step in the right direction, but we must continue pushing for wage structures that truly support a decent standard of living.”

Fairtrade Africa’s standards ensure that producers receive both a guaranteed minimum price and a Fairtrade Premium, additional funds invested directly into community development initiatives such as building schools, improving healthcare access, and advancing sustainable agriculture. These measures create opportunity, resilience, and long-term prosperity.

“Millions of workers in producing countries struggle daily to make ends meet despite being at the heart of global supply chains worth billions,” Ndlovu adds. “Fairtrade advocates for a world where farmers and workers can achieve a living income, which not only respects their labour but strengthens their communities.”

Join the Movement and Be Fair Right Now

Running from November 2025 to mid-January 2026, the ‘Be Fair Right Now’ campaign gives South Africans the chance to take a stand for fairness and have fun while doing it.

Participants can complete the interactive Fairtrade Quiz, discover how fair their purchases really are, and stand a chance to win Fairtrade hampers or the ultimate Fairtrade Experience, an all-inclusive weekend getaway in the Cape Winelands.

Whether it’s coffee, tea, chocolate, or wine, every Fairtrade-certified product purchased helps build fairer and sustainable supply chains preserving resources, fairer wages, and fairer futures.