Domestic workers are the quiet backbone of countless South African households. They care for our children, clean our homes, and hold our daily lives together – often with little recognition. For generations, this work has passed from mother to daughter, not out of tradition but out of necessity. With limited opportunities for education or financial mobility, many women step into domestic work because it offers the most stable way to keep their families afloat.
But how often do we pause to ask the women in our homes how they’re really doing? Beyond the greetings and polite exchanges, do we know their worries, their dreams, or the burdens they carry when they leave at the end of the day?
The unseen and unheard
For many domestic workers, invisibility is part of the job. Their presence is expected, but their personhood is overlooked. Often, they’re left out of conversations that affect them, stay late without being asked how they’ll get home, or eat leftovers instead of being offered a meal. For many, it’s showing up with a smile even when their own world is falling apart.
Silence often feels safer than speaking out. Many fear that raising concerns about pay, hours, or treatment could cost them their job. Even when sick, exhausted, or emotionally drained, they push on.
The hard numbers behind the work
The 8th Annual Sweepsouth Report on Domestic Worker Pay and Working Conditions reveals stark realities:
- 82% of domestic workers are the main breadwinners in their families, supporting at least four dependents.
- 39% earn below the national minimum wage.
- The median monthly income sits at R3 635, well short of the R4 500 needed to cover basic living costs.
Behind these statistics are women like Rosemary Marufu.
“Sometimes I’ll be earning something like R3 500 or R3 600,” she says. “Because I am a single parent, I’m looking after my child, I’m paying school fees, and I’m looking after my parents as well. I have to pay rent, I have to buy food, and I have to buy electricity. So I’ll make sure I write down all my expenses when it’s month end.” Every rand has a destination. There’s no room for indulgence – only survival.
Carrying more than just financial weight
The toll isn’t only financial. Sixteen percent of domestic workers report a decline in mental health, though the true number is likely much higher. In many communities, the stress response is a simple “be strong.” Therapy or time off is rarely an option. And with some commutes eating up hours each day, rest and family time become luxuries too.
Despite debt (which 33% say they have no hope of repaying), despite exhaustion, they keep going. Because they simply have to. For many domestic workers, this work is not a dream but a stepping stone. The report found that 86% want to study further or pursue other careers: nursing, childcare, hospitality, or running their own businesses. The ambition is there. What’s missing is opportunity and support.
How do we show up for them?
Change doesn’t always mean sweeping reforms – though those are needed too. Sometimes it begins in our own homes:
- Paying fairly and on time.
- Respecting boundaries around hours and rest.
- Offering dignity in the small, everyday gestures such as a meal, a genuine conversation, and a recognition of their humanity.
Because while domestic workers are caring for our families, we must ask: Who is caring for them? The answer lies in whether we continue to let them remain unseen and unheard or whether we choose to see, listen, and respect the women who tend to our home.
