39% of SA’s domestic workers earn below the minimum wage

THE plight of domestic workers in South Africa remains dire, with the recently released Annual Report on Domestic Worker Pay and Working Conditions from Sweepsouth revealing that a staggering 39% earn below the national minimum wage.

- STAFF REPORTER

The report, which surveyed 5 039 domestic workers across the nation, found that the median monthly earnings stand at R3635 — well below the R4500 deemed necessary for basic living expenses.

This report paints a grim picture of the economic pressures confronting an essential workforce that forms the backbone of many households in South Africa, yet struggles to meet their basic needs. As rising costs of housing, food and transport outstrip wages, the gap between income and the real cost of living widens. This reality results in a pervasive cycle of debt, hardship and insecurity for thousands of workers and their families, a crisis that has only intensified in light of global economic turbulence.

Harsh reality behind the numbers: Domestic workers, who account for a significant portion of the country’s workforce, face an increasingly precarious existence.

The findings show that 82% of these workers are the primary earners in their households, with over half supporting four or more dependents.

Despite holding full-time jobs, many of these households cannot meet even the most basic needs, often forcing them to rely on debt to make ends meet.

In the past year, essential costs have increased sharply — housing costs rose by 11% and food prices by 8%.