South Africa has been ranked at the bottom of global maternity leave standards, offering no guaranteed paid maternity leave, according to the Global Maternity Leave Report 2025 released by UK-based firm Moorepay.
The findings place South Africa alongside just three other countries – the United States, Tonga, and Papua New Guinea – that offer no guaranteed maternity pay, despite providing maternity leave by law.
Unpaid Leave in a Critical Period
South African mothers are legally entitled to at least four consecutive months of maternity leave, but that leave remains entirely unpaid, unless supplemented by employer benefits or UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) – which does not guarantee full coverage.
The report highlights that the first few months after childbirth are crucial for both mother and baby, with global research supporting paid maternity leave as essential for long-term health and economic outcomes.
Despite this, South Africa offers no statutory wage replacement for new mothers, placing immense financial pressure on families.
Global Maternity Pay Leaders
Using international dollars (adjusted for purchasing power), the report compares the real-world value of maternity pay globally:
- Norway leads the rankings, offering up to $73 955 in equivalent maternity benefits.
- Romania follows with $49 777, providing up to two years of maternity leave, 85% of which is paid.
- In Africa, Egypt is the top performer, offering up to $10 161 in paid maternity leave.
- Eswatini offers the least among paying countries, with only two weeks of paid postnatal leave.
Legal Shake-Up: A New Parental Leave Era?
While the 2025 report paints a bleak picture for South African maternity protections, landmark legal developments may signal reform.
In October 2023, the Gauteng High Court ruled in Van Wyk & Others v The Minister of Employment and Labour that current parental leave provisions were unconstitutional.
The ruling found that granting mothers four months of leave, but fathers only 10 days reinforced outdated gender roles and failed to accommodate modern family dynamics, including households where mothers are the primary breadwinners.
As an interim measure, the court ruled that four months of parental leave be shared between both parents – regardless of gender or biological role.
The goal: to allow families flexibility in choosing how best to care for their child.
However, this progressive ruling is not yet in force.
As per constitutional procedure, the Constitutional Court must confirm the High Court’s decision.
The confirmation hearing was held in November 2024, but as of September 2025, no final judgment has been delivered.
Public & Policy Pressure Grows
Legal experts and gender equity advocates have welcomed the potential changes, saying shared parental leave reflects a more equitable and inclusive society.
Still, without Constitutional Court confirmation or legislative reform, millions of South African parents remain in limbo.
As one Cape Town-based working mother The South African website spoke to, put it: “It’s hard enough adjusting to life with a newborn. Doing it without a pay cheque makes it feel like you’re being punished for becoming a parent.”
With mounting pressure on lawmakers and public institutions, all eyes are now on the Constitutional Court to determine whether South Africa will finally modernise its parental leave policies – or remain among the world’s least supportive nations for new mothers.
What length of maternity or paternity leave – paid or not – did you get?
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