The three-year Sectoral Determination governing the minimum wages for Domestic Workers in South Africa is coming to an end this year.
And as a result the Department of Labour (DoL) is to host a month-long series of Domestic Worker Public hearings to allow workers a say in the determination of their new wage structure and other conditions of employment. The move is yet another demonstration by the department to protect and improve the lot of vulnerable workers in South Africa.
The Domestic Worker public hearings on the three-year review begins today (2 June 2014) in Mpumalanga, Ermelo at the Ella de Bruin Hall. They public hearings will resume again on June 7 in Gauteng Province (Vereeniging) at the Roshnee Civil Hall, Bilal Street; and in Mpumalanga (Nelspruit) at the department’s offices at 29 Brown Street.
All public hearings are scheduled to start at 12h00 mid-day. The hearings are expected to conclude on June 29 in both KwaZulu-Natal Province (Durban, Richards Bay) and Western Cape (Knysna, Vredendal).
The upcoming public hearings also dovetail on the consultative process that was initiated by the Department of Labour under the aegis of Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant last year. To date Oliphant engaged with the domestic workers through “Izimbizo” in various provinces.
Oliphant promised domestic workers that they will have an opportunity wherein they will have a say in their wage determination. She also called on employers and domestic workers to register for UIF.
To date, OIiphant has engaged with the domestic workers in consultative forums “Izimbizo” on their plight in Khayelitsha, Western Cape; Ethekwini (Durban) KwaZulu-Natal and in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape. .
The Domestic Worker Sector in South African includes people working in private household; independent contractors who are doing contract work; people employed by employment services; a person doing gardening in a private home, people who look after children, sick or old people and people with disabilities in a private home and a person driving for a household.
Recent figures by the Department of Labour’s have shown that there were some 652 676 domestic workers currently registered for Unemployment Insurance Fund. This figure represents a drop in the ocean as the number is thought to be higher than it is.
In terms of Sectoral Determination of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) - Domestic Workers have a right to - annual leave, domestic workers may take paid leave to attend to certain family situations requires that employers give domestic workers certain details of their employment in writing, domestic workers may take paid leave to attend to certain family situations, does not allow for the employment of children under the age of 15, gives pregnant domestic workers the right to take maternity leave, allows for deductions from a domestic worker’s pay only under certain conditions.
In addition, the Sectoral Determination on Domestic Workers stipulate rules for sick leave, stipulates the conditions for working on Public Holidays for domestic workers, terms for sick leave, sets the regulations for temporary employment agencies for domestic workers, stipulates the procedures for termination of an employment contract, regulates working hours and rest periods for domestic workers and prescribes the wages for working on a Sunday.
The Domestic Worker’s Sector current sectoral determination is in its last year of implementation. It came into effect on 1 December 2013 and will end on 30 November 2014. The minimum wages to domestic workers who work more than 27 hours per week applies as follows:
- Area A (mainly urban) R9.63 hourly, R433.35 weekly (for a 45 hour week) and R 1877.70 monthly (for a 45 hour week)
- Area B (mainly rural) R8.30 hourly, R373.50 weekly (for a 45 hour week) and R1618.37 monthly (for a 45 hour week).
Enquiries:
Page Boikanyo
Departmental Spokesman
Cell: 082 809 3195
