Living costs, mental health crisis take toll on domestic workers

South Africa’s domestic workers are currently facing a cost of living crisis as well as a significant decline in mental health, according to the 2024 SweepSouth Report on Pay and Working Conditions for Domestic Workers.

Also of major concern is that the sector has not recovered from the economic fallout created by the pandemic, with 15% fewer jobs available versus pre-Covid levels, according to the report by SweepSouth.

The 2024 study showed that although earnings for domestic workers had increased by 5% year-on-year, living costs had risen by a worrying 15%.

As of March 2024, the minimum wage, for South African domestic workers employed for 24 hours or more by a specific employer, is R27.68 per hour. This equates to R221.44 for an eight-hour day, R1.107 for a five day week and R4 428 per month.

Employers are required to pay a 2% UIF contribution, of which 1% comes out of the worker’s pay check.

The survey, however, showed an average wage of R3 404 for domestic workers, up from R2 992 the year before.

Job losses are rife in the industry, with 36% of employed respondents saying they had lost some work due to employer affordability in the past year, with 21% having lost full employment.

Although the survey did note a positive trend towards savings and pension participation, it found that 75% of domestic workers were not able to save money monthly, while 35% were in debt, with one third feeling trapped in a “hopeless repayment cycle”.

To make matters worse, 83% of respondents said they were the sole breadwinners in their households.

These dire economic circumstances have led to a 16% decline in mental health for domestic workers in the past year, although family problems have also taken their toll.

Without adequate access to professional mental health treatment, workers usually have to face these challenges alone.

“The figures outlined in the report make for sobering reading,” says Lour- andi Kriel, CEO of SweepSouth.

“They also underline how critical economic reform will be if South Africa is to be a mentally healthy country where all inhabitants live in comfortable dignity.”

The survey by SweepSouth, which is an online home services platform, captured the responses of over 5,600 workers, of which 64% were between the ages of 26 and 41.

Twenty-one percent of respondents said they worked for a single employer, with the remaining 79% serving multiple clients.

Fifty-nine percent listed their nationality as Zimbabwean, followed by South African (37%) and Malawian (3%).

“When it comes to addressing these challenges, SweepSouth suggests several courses of action, including, enforcing labour laws more rigorously and exploring innovative solutions for compliance in private homes, considering diverse work arrangements and vulnerable groups,” SweepSouth said.

The company also urged government, employers as well as the private sector to help improve access to education and training for domestic workers, as the survey found that 85% had a desire to continue their education.

Just 42% of the surveyed workers had completed high school, while 15% had pursued higher education.

Mental health support needs be become more of a priority too, through investment in accessible services, training for community leaders and the creation of more safe spaces for women.

Cape Times