/ 1 January 2002

Domestic, farm workers are overworked and underpaid

Domestic and farm workers remain undervalued and exploited, despite their significant contribution to society, Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana said on Wednesday.

”That is why we had to come with a sectoral determination,” he said during debate in the National Assembly on ways to improve the quality of life of such workers.

The department’s research had revealed some domestic workers worked long and unregulated hours with little rest, and were paid meagre salaries.

Many of them did not enjoy paid sick leave or annual leave.

This was in spite of their enormous ”back room” contribution to the economy.

”They look after our children so that we may be able to earn an income, they clean our houses so that we may enjoy a healthy life, they cook our food so that we may live… .”

The provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, aimed at providing a ”floor” of rights, was inadequate to deal with the unique circumstances of domestic workers.

Mdladlana unveiled the Domestic Workers Sectoral Determination last month, which, among other things, introduces a minimum wage for domestics from November 1.

The minimum wage ranges from R428,22 to R800 a month, depending on the hours worked and the area in which workers live.

Employers are also compelled to comply with rules governing pay slips, employer-employee agreements, working hours and leave.

The minister said the determination merely set the minimum to be paid, and that he had ”no quarrel” with those employers paying higher wages.

There were good people in society, but there were also cruel people in South Africa, he said.

Mdladlana again appealed to members of Parliament to lead by example in the treatment of their domestic employees.

A group of domestics had come to his office in Parliament earlier on Wednesday to complain about the conduct of an MP, he said.

Mdladlana has in the past accused ”high-profile MPs” of breaking the law when it came to their treatment of domestic workers.

The minister said he would soon announce a sectoral determination for farm workers.

Democratic Alliance labour representative Nick Clelland-Stokes said his party supported improvements in working conditions for domestic workers, but argued against the minimum wage.

It would only make more South Africans vulnerable to potential job losses.

Government should rather consider making the wages of domestic workers tax deductible, thus motivating people to employ domestics.

”South Africa needs jobs, but a minimum wage is not the answer.

”It will reduce employment opportunities and aggravate unemployment, particularly of unskilled and vulnerable groups of workers,” he said.

Johann Durand of the New National Party said the minimum wage would not necessarily result in job losses.

”There may well be employers that would be unable to afford the higher wage… but this should not mean the loss of a job, but rather a reduction in the hours worked.”

This would enable the domestic to take up part-time work elsewhere, he said.

The Inkatha Freedom Party’s Norman Middleton said the minimum wage proposals for domestic workers did not reflect their contribution to the economy.

”Mr Minister, don’t give our workers peanuts, they have been receiving peanuts for far too long,” he said. – Sapa