Working but still in crisis

DOMESTIC workers continue to face a harsh reality of surviving on meagre wages that strip them of dignity and security, a new report has revealed.

- ANNIE DORASAMY

The 8th annual SweepSouth Report on Domestic Worker Pay and Working Conditions, released today, details the financial pressure domestic workers have faced over the past year.

Based on a survey of more than 5000 domestic workers across the country, the report found that 82% of respondents were breadwinners, and 58% supported an average of four dependents, yet their earnings have not kept pace with the rising cost of living. While the average hourly wage exceeded the R28.79 National Minimum Wage, 39% of domestic workers still earned below that threshold. Their overall expenses rose by 7% since 2024: rent or bond payments increased by 11%, food by 8%, and electricity by 7%.

The average monthly cost of living stood at R4500, leaving many households operating on razor-thin margins.

Lourandi Kriel, CEO of SweepSouth, a web-based platform for booking cleaning and caregiving services, said the report offered a sobering snapshot of life for domestic workers.

“It gives us the evidence we need to stop guessing,” said Kriel. “When you see that the median take-home pay is around R3635, nearly R900 short of basic living costs, it’s no longer an abstract issue. It’s a reality. That allows us to design better solutions, whether that’s financial products to help workers get out of debt or training programmes that create new career pathways.

“It also means we can take something concrete to policymakers and domestic employers and say: here’s where the gap is, let's fix it.”

The SweepSouth report has become an influential resource in shaping labour policy.

“We've shared past reports with the Department of Labour, Treasury, and other stakeholders within government who are involved in setting minimum wage policy,” said Kriel.