Even domestic workers are leaving South Africa
Domestic workers in South Africa are following other professions and looking for better pay and job opportunities overseas.
This is due to South Africa’s worsening unemployment rate, which has particularly affected domestic workers since Covid-19.
Several experts have recently highlighted that many South African professionals have emigrated due to stagnant salaries and poor work opportunities in South Africa.
At the end of last year, Canadian immigration expert Nicholas Avramis noted that almost 8,000 South Africans had received permits to work in Canada.
The most common professionals who left included farmers and agricultural workers, recreation and sports professionals, mechanics, financial auditors and accountants, and specialist physicians.
According to Avramis, these professionals cited limited job opportunities and poor pay in South Africa as reasons for leaving.
Because of this, the promise of career stability, higher pay, and safer working conditions abroad is a strong draw. However, these promises are now also drawing South Africa’s domestic workers.
CEO of SweepSouth, Lourandi Kriel, stressed that domestic workers are in a “serious and worsening” situation in South Africa, with fewer jobs available, declining earnings for many, and growing mental health challenges.
SweepSouth has an active base of about 4,500 what it calls SweepStars, domestic workers who work at least one to three times a week.
To date, the company has distributed more than R700 million to these workers, most of whom historically had no income.
However, despite these numbers, Kriel warned that the domestic work sector is shrinking rapidly in South Africa.
“Before Covid-19, there were 1.2 million domestic work opportunities in South Africa. That dropped to 850,000 after Covid, and we’re now hovering between 800,000 and 850,000, and trending downward,” she said.
“This means 21% of domestic workers have lost all employment, and 36% have lost some form of employment.”
“Considering that 83% of SweepStars are breadwinners with an average of four dependents, the impact is devastating.”
More opportunities
Kriel added that this economic pressure is also taking a toll on mental health. “Our surveys show a 16% decline in mental health among domestic workers over the past year,” she said.
“When you’re stressed about finding work and worried about putting food on the table, the anxiety and depression can be overwhelming.”
To help domestic workers in the current climate, SweepSouth has been expanding its services beyond cleaning, aiming to tap into what Kriel calls the “care economy.”
She explained that the childcare market in South Africa is expected to reach R103 billion by 2030, and elderly care R211 billion.
These sectors employ large numbers of people, but many still work informally without job security or benefits. We want to create a pathway into this economy for young people and women,” she said.
In light of this, Kriel noted that SweepSouth is taking young women from informal settlements, giving them skills and helping them gain experience, and ultimately opening doors to work in other countries, earn foreign currency, and build a better life.
Kriel said this expansion has already led to the launch of eight new services, including elder care, nanny support, and a permanent placement agency to meet growing demand.
“Our end goal is to empower lives, create formal opportunities, and unlock the full potential of the care economy for South Africa. I believe we could become a global leader in caregiving.”
However, she stressed that ordinary South Africans can take practical steps right now to support domestic workers.
“We need to move past purely transactional relationships. Talk to them, understand their circumstances, share resources you no longer use, or even help with groceries. Small acts can make a big difference,” Kriel said.
On earnings, Kriel said SweepSouth has always prioritised impact over profit. “We work closely with the government and other stakeholders to push for a living wage, not just a minimum wage.”
“On our platform, domestic workers earn at least 20% above the minimum wage, and with tips and top-ups from regular clients, many earn about 50% above it,” she added.
But that is not the norm across the country. SweepSouth’s survey of domestic workers outside the platform showed that most do not earn anywhere near minimum wage.
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