Cost of living a challenge for underpaid domestic workers
WITH South Africa’s economy having suffered heavy blows and the cost of living becoming unaffordable, domestic workers are among the vulnerable who can no longer afford the basics because of low salaries.
The 2022 minimum wage, assuming one has worked at least 160 hours in a month, amounts to R3710. However, most take home between R2651 and R2810.
These workers are mainly women who are single caregivers, sole breadwinners with multiple dependants. Their cupboards are bare, school fees and rent remain unpaid for many, while getting to work is a challenge because of increased public transport costs.
A pay and working conditions survey conducted by Sweepsouth, a home services company, revealed that workers were forced into taking on debt as life became expensive.
An increase in job losses was recorded during the time of Covid-19 restrictions and many remain unemployed. In some instances, employers could no longer afford the services of their domestic workers and they had moved back to their family homes. Others relocated abroad or to different cities. A considerable number who were let go by employers report that they were not given adequate notice periods or compensation.
Most domestic workers were said to take on a number of primary roles including cleaning, gardening, childcare, elderly care and cooking to increase their earnings. Gardening was the lowest paying, while child care was the most lucrative.
Sizakele Mlambo, who worked for a family in Richards Bay for more than two years, said she lost her job a year ago and has been struggling to find employment. Her employer did not give her any notice and she was fired on the last day of the month.
Mlambo said she looked after multiple children, cooked and cleaned daily without any time off, earning R2000. She was allowed to visit her family one weekend a month and her family was dependent on her income.
“When you are poor it’s easy to be taken advantage of. Even though on some days it was hard, I had to stick it out because I am not educated.
“Since the family let me go, things have gone from bad to worse. We can't even afford bread. It’s tough at home,” she said.
Another woman who worked for a family in Scottburgh for a few years said she earned R80 a day and spent over R20 on transport. The family owned a spacious home overlooking the ocean and also had additional back rooms which were used for an Airbnb service.
“I cleaned the house and the deck after daily parties and each day I would be so tired. They once had a party with about 17 people and they all promised to leave R100 each for my hard work, but my employer did not give me that money and I needed it badly.
“We had an argument and she ended up never paying me for the month. That’s how I left my job.”
The woman said she felt unappreciated and that her employer did not take her basic human rights into consideration.
Luke Kannemeyer, Sweepsouth chief operating officer, said the latest report showed some signs of recovery, but much of the optimism had been extinguished by the tough economic and social climates.
“While it’s encouraging to report a recovery in earnings from previous years’ reports, especially among domestic workers who work on the Sweepsouth platform, it is sad to say that this still falls far below a living wage, especially with inflation soaring the world over.
“Probable increases in the average costs of basic goods in the months to come will likely eat into any disposable income or savings that domestic workers might have and plunge many further into debt,” he said.
Sweepsouth has recommended that employers pay their domestic workers a living wage, subsidise transport costs and increase support for workers who experience abuse in their homes.
“Ensure you are treating your domestic worker in the same way you would like to be treated. Be sensitive to not just their physical health needs, but their mental health needs as well,” said Kannemeyer.