Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

2 min read
10 December 2022 | 9:21 pm CAT

The country’s domestic workers are the biggest losers as households cannot afford to pay their domestic help the salaries they used to. It has been two weeks since the second anniversary after the Constitutional Court handed down a significant judgment in Mahlangu v Minister of Labour, compelling the inclusion of domestic workers in legislation to protect workers. Last week, the Socio-Economi Rights Institute and the Nelson Mandela Foundation hosted the second annual dialogue reflecting on the status of domestic work.

Speaking to Radio Islam International SERI’s Nomsamo Zondo said looking back at history, domestic and farm workers will now be in a much better place concerning salaries and protection in UIF and Occupational Injury Insurance.

According to Zondo, the call for the dialogue was to create a discussion on compliance which is just below 1% and the important role of our domestic workers.

In terms of the claims, she said the judgement allowed domestic workers injured in their place of work between 27 April 1994 and 2020 to submit a claim to the Compensation fund.

“As of June 2022 only seven cases have been received,” she says.

The dialogue this year was joined by the Director of the Compensation Fund, while last year was joined by the Compensation Commissioner and a Representative from an employer organisation.

Listen to the interview on Radio Islam’s podcast.