Imbizo held for domestic workers

POLOKWANE – THE department of labour recently hosted a domestic workers’ Imbizo on Saturday at Bolivia Lodge in Polokwane.

The event was held to listen to workers’ grievances and find solutions in order to ensure better working conditions.

Social development MEC, Joyce Mashamba, acknowledged domestic workers for being organisers, planners and educators in many homes all over the country.

“They are the breadwinners of their families. While they are attending to their employers’ children, their own children often have to do without the attention of a parent or even both.”

Mashamba said these workers were expected to work unreasonable hours with no compensation for leave and absences. She said previously they had no basic rights, but today they were protected from all forms of exploitation.

“Imbizos like these give those who work in the deepest of our rural areas the opportunity to know what is legal and what is not,” she said.

Labour deputy minister, Phathekile Holomisa, said they are well aware that some working environments were unpleasant while some workers were abused by their employers. “Many workers find themselves in homes and farms trapped in a paternalistic relationship based on the perception that they are not real employers.”

He said they wanted to listen to the concerns so that they could make suggestions on the way forward. Holomisa said they needed systems which would ensure that workers in this sector were no longer abused. “Today both farm and domestic workers enjoy the same statutory protection as all employees. The government, through the employment equity act 55 of 1998, guaranteed the right to equality and the right not to be unfairly discriminated against.”

Holomisa further said every three years, the government reviewed minimum wage tariffs to ensure that they were set at an appropriate level.

He said it was also important that employers ensured that the conditions of employment were explained to the worker in a language they understood.

“Workers must ensure that they are registered with the unemployment insurance fund (UIF) because should they lose their job while they are not registered, they will be unable to claim,” he said, adding that the commission for conciliation, mediation and arbitration (CCMA) was also there to assist with complaints.

One domestic worker from Nobody near Mankweng said the reality of their situation did not match the rights and regulations which existed in the sector.

She said they faced far more challenges and usually had difficulties in communicating with their employers.

“My employers didn’t want to listen to my problems and when I complained about the workload, I was fired without warning or any valid reasons. I hope the information we gathered today will help me to get my job back or at least be compensated,” she said.

She said employers should also be educated about these issues.

Photos: Cheryllee Hannam