Program Director,
Leadership of the Domestic Workers Formations,
Local Government leadership,
Provincial leadership,
Leaders of our Social Partners here present,
Distinguished Domestic Workers,
Ladies and gentlemen.
Dumelang; molweni, sanibonani; goeie more, good morning; malibongwe!
It’s good to be here in the City of Roses, Mangaung, (the place of the Cheetah); the judicial capital of our nation. Mangaung brings back unforgettable memories in the history of this nation.
It was in this City on 8 January 1912, where John Langalibalele Dube, a Church Minister and School Headmaster; Pixley ka Isaka Seme a Lawyer; Solomon T Plaaitjie, a Court Translator, Author and Newspaper editor; were elected Leaders of what has become Oldest Liberation movement in Africa, the ANC as we know it today. Josiah Gumede, a teacher, businessman and journalist was one of the keynote speakers at the inauguration congress.
This is indeed an important place for all South African who care about where we come from as a tribute to where we are today. There are many more great memories of this Mangaung, if it wasn’t for time we could spend the whole day reminiscing about the history of this place.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends, you will agree with me that as wives and mothers, it falls upon us to make small wages stretch a long way. It is we, who feel the cries of our children when they are hungry and sick. It is our lot to keep and care for the homes that are too small, broken and dirty to be kept clean. We know the burden of looking after children when our husbands are away in the mines, on the farms, and in the towns earning our daily bread.
So today in the true tradition of our fore-bearers, we are here to listen. Unlike Strijdom and his senior officials who ran away from the women’s March leaders of 1956, I am here to listen to your grievances and together do something about them.
I hope that you will have an opportunity to raise your pressing issues and most importantly make suggestions on the way forward.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is well and good to ratify the ILO Conventions on Domestic workers, but unless they bring about real change for the ordinary men and women in the sector, they remain meaningless. We need systems that will ensure that workers in this sector are no longer abused. The slogan: Organise or Starve of years gone by, is just as valid today as it was at the height of oppression. United, there are better chances of making a difference. The Department of Labour is there to work for you and with you.
The Deputy President of South Africa announced that he will be convening the Labour Relations Indaba on the 4th of November 2014 to engage social partners on the modalities of introducing a national minimum wage in South Africa. Stakeholders are encouraged to use this platform to air their views on the concept in general and the possible architecture that will be appropriate for South Africa
You may also be aware that the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour has commenced public hearings on the National minimum wage to take the public pulse on the concept.
The Department of Labour will also initiate its own public hearings on the matter and the dates will be announced shortly. Your contribution and participation in these events will be highly appreciated. I would very much like to see you participate in these processes. Like the women of 1956, they brought their white employers' children along with them to the march; I suppose you may consider doing the same to attend the public hearings and make your voices heard.
I also invite you to share with us what arrangements that we may have to consider in order to ensure that your voice is heard and viewpoints taken into account in these hearings.
I request all of you to make it your business to understand your rights and obligations contained in the various pieces of our labour laws. That is why I am placing the department at your service to conduct training and information sessions on the laws and how these will impact on your daily lives. It is only those who are armed with knowledge who can best fight for their rights. Please use this opportunity.
I have no intention to bore you with statistics but it is important to take note that the stubborn triple challenge of unemployment, poverty and inequality is still very much with us.
Easing the pain somewhat; are such institutions like the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) which has played a critical role protecting workers against poverty by providing unemployment insurance and other benefits to workers, albeit on a short term basis.
Ladies and gentlemen, comrades and friends
Government alone cannot ensure optimal compliance with the UIF Law. It also needs your assistance to ensure that all employers whose employees qualify for UIF benefit are registered. Let us take responsibility and ensure that employers register with the UIF.
It is also my pleasure to announce that in the future, subject to legislative amendment approval, the benefits paid by the UIF will improve drastically.
The prudent investment of your funds by the UIF Management and the Board means that Government is now in a position to increase unemployment insurance benefits from the current eight months to a year. In the past, people who did not accrue the required number of credit days, were not eligible for benefits but the proposed changes to the Act, will mean that despite the number of credit days accumulated, a contributor will benefit from UIF.
The maternity benefit will be increased from the current 121 days to a period of four months based on a flat income replacement rate of 66 percent. These maternity benefits also include domestic workers. In future, we will also be amending legislation on Compensation to also include domestic workers. There is no reason why you should be treated any differently from other workers.
Ladies and gentlemen, it should be noted that currently, certain categories of workers are excluded for example; employees on learnership, workers who work less than 24 hours and public servants. In future all these workers will be eligible for UIF coverage.
The proposed amendments also go further and will allow, for example an applicant who applied for UIF benefits four months after having lost a job to receive full benefits owed to them. Currently, it would mean that such an applicant would have lost four months in terms of the payment period. Furthermore, the proposals to amend the UIF Act also extend the current period in which to claim from six months to a year.
Many of these things were a dream before 1994. These protections were a preserve of the minority but now we cover a lot more people. Indeed, life has changed since 1994 and the evidence is there for everyone to see – irrespective of what the prophets of doom say. That is why in response to the economic crisis, we started a scheme to train the unemployed UIF beneficiaries in a variety of skills.
I urge stakeholders in this industry to enquire and participate in the interventions that have been put in place. Your participation will be of benefit not only to you, but will help greatly with decreasing the skills shortage in our country.
In closing, Charlotte Maxeke, the first Women Graduate in South Africa and the first National President of the National Council of Women, her advice to women in 1938, goes something like this, and I quote, “This work is not for yourselves – kill that spirit of “self”, and do not live above your people, but live with them. If you can rise, bring someone with you. Do away with that fearful animal of jealousy - kill that spirit, and love one another as brothers and sisters.” Close quote.
This calls for selflessness for the common good. Please take note that this is the opposite of the current practice of kicking the ladder once one reaches the top. They do this in order to prevent others from climbing as well.
Amilcar Cabral, a fighter and a revolutionary who together with others was instrumental in promoting the fight for the independence of the then Portuguese colonies, once said, and I quote, “Always bear in mind that the people are not fighting for ideas, for the things in anyone’s head. They are fighting to win material benefits, to live better and in peace, to see their lives go forward, to guarantee the future of their children…” Close quote.
I believe as workers in general and as domestic workers in particular, we can emulate what Cabral advocated at the time.
Let’s move South Africa forward. Domestic workers are workers too!
I thank you!
