Between 'sisters' : a study of the employment relationship between African domestic workers and African employers in the townships of Soweto.
Date
2010-03-04T08:11:26Z
Authors
Dilata, Xoliswa Petronella
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Abstract
There are just over a million domestic workers in South Africa, accounting for 7.3
percent of total employment. According to Carroll (2004) about 10 percent of the
country’s estimated one million domestic workers are hired by black people. As an area
that is largely occupied by African women the increased entry of African employers adds
an interesting dynamic in the domestic work sector. The aim of this study was to look at
the relationship that African domestic workers have with their African employers.
Particular attention was given to the middle and working class Africans living in living in
various townships in Soweto. By focusing on within-race interaction this study is aimed
at emphasizing class as the defining characteristic of inequality in this sector.
The main broad finding in this study was that the employment relationship that African
employers have with their domestic workers is not different from the traditional
relationship between white employers and African domestic workers, as African
employers reproduce some of the exploitation that existed in the sector. Despite
legislative rights being awarded to domestic workers, a number of the domestic workers
in the townships are still being paid below minimum wage, have no set working hours
and work without any written contracts of employment. The study also revealed the use
of the term ‘helper’ by African employers, as a way of building unity and equality in the
relationship that they have with their domestic workers. The study concludes by
suggesting that there is a need for a more forceful approach from government in ensuring
that employers comply with the law.