29-04-2025
TL 6AM: Cleaning the nation, yet struggling to eat: domestic workers buckle under rising costs
More than four in 10 domestic workers in South Africa still earn below the national minimum wage despite modest improvements in earnings over the past year.
This is one of the findings of SweepSouth's seventh annual report on pay and working conditions for domestic workers, released in 2024. The report paints a complex picture of the domestic work sector amid soaring living costs and widespread financial insecurity.
The report, based on responses from more than 5,600 domestic workers, found that median monthly earnings for those on the SweepSouth platform, known as SweepStars, increased by about 5% in 2024, reaching R5,242.
'SweepStar median earnings have shown a modest increase of around 5% in 2024 despite our recent increase of 8% to our enforced minimum pay per job. While this increase is positive, we do also see the impact of continued economic pressure on all consumers,' the company said.
In contrast, domestic workers outside the platform continue to earn significantly less. The average monthly income among this group is R3,404, with female workers earning R3,349 and their male counterparts slightly less at R3,059.
'Overall, domestic workers who are not on the SweepSouth platform also saw an increase in their median earnings from last year, but still fall below the minimum wage increase as of March 1 2024,' the report noted.
Though South Africa implemented a national minimum wage of R27.58 per hour in 2022, the report found that 46% of domestic workers still earn below this threshold.
'While 54% of workers earn above minimum wage, an alarmingly 46% of workers earn less,' the report stated, attributing part of this to the recent closure of a loophole that previously allowed employers to pay live-in domestic workers less.
The report also showed that earnings vary by job type, with cleaners earning R3,348, gardeners R3,128, childcare workers R3,464, elderly caregivers R3,324 and cooks R3,463.
SweepSouth highlighted the growing financial pressure faced by domestic workers due to the rising cost of living. Between 2023 and 2024, overall living costs surged by 15%, with housing increasing by 17%, transport by 10% and electricity by 8%.
A basic monthly cost basket, including housing, food, transport and data, was calculated at R4,207, which is well above the average earnings of most domestic workers.
'This shows a deficit between domestic worker earnings and basic costs... many domestic workers still cannot afford these expenses,' the report warned.
The report revealed that with many domestic workers financially supporting on average four dependents, the burden is even greater especially for single-parent households.
The report found that 75% of domestic workers cannot afford to save. Only 13% reported having savings or a pension, while 18% participate in a stokvel.
'A low savings rate leaves households vulnerable to any financial shocks and prevents them from investing in their future,' SweepSouth said.
Debt remained a persistent issue, with 35% of domestic workers reporting that they owe money — unchanged from the previous year.
'Of those in debt, one in three described their repayment situation as 'hopeless'. Half owe money to a shop or store, indicating a high level of easy credit and predatory lending practices,' the company noted.
Access to medical aid remains elusive for most domestic workers, with the majority relying on the public healthcare system. Poor service delivery often means losing a day's wages just to receive medical care.
SweepSouth Group COO Luke Kannemeyer said despite the hardships, many domestic workers are eager to improve their circumstances.
The report found that 42% have completed high school, while 15% have pursued higher education. Encouragingly, 85% said they would continue studying if they had the resources.
According to the 2024 first quarter Statistics South Africa Quarterly Labour Force Survey, the domestic work sector saw a decline of 7,000 jobs down 0.8% from the previous quarter.
'Despite a 5% increase in median earnings for SweepStars, earnings still struggle to beat the rising cost of living, especially for non-SweepSouth workers. Financial insecurity is widespread, with 75% unable to save money each month. While there's a positive trend towards savings and pension participation, 35% of domestic workers are in debt, with a third feeling trapped in a hopeless repayment cycle,' said Kannemeyer.
