Domestic work has declined over the last 15 years, and financial pressures on households, coupled with an increase in the minimum wage, could mean more trouble for domestic workers this year.
According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) by Stats SA, South Africa’s unemployment rate declined in the fourth quarter of 2024, moving from 32.1% in Q3 to 31.9%.
However, while most sectors showed marginal gains in job numbers, this improvement did not extend to domestic workers, whose numbers fell by 15,000 compared to the same period in 2023.
At the end of 2024, the number of domestic workers employed was 861,000, a stark contrast to pre-pandemic levels when over 1 million were employed nationwide.
The Covid-19 pandemic dealt a heavy blow to the industry, with reports indicating that approximately 250,000 domestic workers lost their jobs.
While the sector has seen some recovery in the years since, it remains well below pre-pandemic employment levels, with around 152,000 fewer jobs than before.
The situation remains bleak when comparing data from 2010, as domestic work has recorded a 0.3% decline in employment over the past 15 years, according to the Real Economy Bulletin by Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS).
One of the main reasons for this sustained decline is the financial strain on South African households, which remain the primary employers of domestic workers.
DebtBusters’ latest report for the fourth quarter of 2024 noted that South African consumers are under significant financial pressure, with 68% of their take-home pay going toward debt repayments.
High-income earners—those earning R35,000 or more per month and who are more likely to employ domestic workers—are even worse off, using 74% of their income to service debt.
Additionally, according to the same report, South Africans now have 42% less spending power than they did nine years ago, as salary increases have failed to keep pace with inflation.
While nominal incomes are 2% higher than eight years ago, cumulative inflation has amounted to 44%, significantly eroding purchasing power.
This financial crunch means that many households can no longer afford to retain domestic workers, leading to a rise in job losses or salary cuts within the sector.
Compounding the issue is the increase in South Africa’s national minimum wage (NMW), which, while intended to protect workers, has had unintended consequences.
The Department of Labour recently announced a 4.4% increase in the minimum wage, bringing it to R28.79 per hour, up from R27.58 in 2024.
This translates to a minimum wage of R115 per day and a maximum wage of R5,600 per month for a full-time domestic worker.
While this increase is necessary to help workers keep up with rising costs, it has led to further employment instability.
At the end of 2024, the United Domestic Workers of South Africa (UDWOSA) told Newzroom Afrika that many domestic workers are already experiencing irregular payments, with some only receiving half their salaries as employers struggle to afford them.
UDWOSA founder Pinky Mashiane has noted a growing number of domestic workers reporting financial difficulties, with many having to choose between accepting partial wages or losing their jobs entirely.
Even for those who continue to receive their full salaries, the minimum wage remains insufficient to cover basic living costs.
Research from the PMBEJD Group shows that, as of February 2025, the current minimum wage does not provide a livable income.
Based on their calculations, a domestic worker earning the NMW is around R2,000 short each month when factoring in essentials such as transportation, electricity, and food.
According to their data, a worker would need a wage of R6,633.02 per month—equivalent to R37.69 per hour or R301.50 per day—to afford a basic standard of living
