Domestic workers facing economic hardships, mental health challenges - survey
The latest SweepSouth report on the pay and working conditions of the country’s domestic workers has painted a bleak picture of those working in the sector.
Released on Monday, the report revealed that the country's domestic workers are facing a myriad of economic hardships and mental health challenges.
It has tracked progress in domestic workers' pay and working conditions since 2018.
The online domestic service platform’s survey found that 83% of domestic workers are sole breadwinners.
"The report reveals that the living cost of domestic workers has increased by 15% over the past year, completely dwarfing the 5% earnings increase,” said SweepSouth Group COO Luke Kannemeyer.
He said housing costs, in particular, have increased disproportionately.
"Furthermore, 35% of domestic workers are in debt, with a third feeling trapped in a hopeless repayment cycle. This has all had a significant impact on the mental health of domestic workers, with at least 16% saying they’ve had a decline in the past year due to unemployment and financial worries."
2024_DomesticWorkerReport- Final(Compressed) (2) by Mmangaliso Khumalo on Scribd
