A Plumstead family has defended its advert for a pleasant-smelling domestic worker who will be paid less than the minimum wage to work seven days a week, and who has to hand over her passport.<\/p>\n
In the ad, posted on Gumtree and dated March 7, a Mrs Allie says she is looking for a “hardworking housemaid” for a salary of R2,000 per month.<\/p>\n
“You’re required to follow instructions and clean thoroughly and meticulously (the way I want),” the advert reads.<\/p>\n
“You are expected to be clean and smell good and bath and change every day (and twice a day if necessary).”<\/p>\n
Mrs Allie’s husband, Abubkar Allie told News24 on Thursday there was nothing wrong with stipulating what they required, and paying below minimum wage.<\/p>\n
“I don’t believe there was anything wrong with it.”<\/p>\n
He said the starting salary was R2,000 which would increase to R2,500 if all the work was done “in the way [Mrs Allie] wants”. The ad stipulates that the salary would be increased.<\/p>\n
The domestic worker will sleep on the property and work seven days a week, except for two Sundays a month, when she will get off.<\/p>\n
Allie said they had removed the ad because they had filled the position. His wife had received “a few” messages in response to the ad.<\/p>\n
Allie said the family was only able to pay R2,000 a month because he recently started a business as a “general worker”.<\/p>\n
“That is basically all that we can afford. I just need someone to help my wife,” Allie said.<\/p>\n
‘I don\u2019t understand the issue’<\/strong><\/p>\n The minimum wage for South African domestic workers is R12 an hour. This means the family would legally be required to pay a domestic worker at least R3,402 if the worker worked nine hours a day, seven days a week. This amount however excludes the overtime she would work.<\/p>\n Allie said he was not aware what the minimum wage was.<\/p>\n “Look, it’s not a permanent position. People can come and go on a regular basis. If the person wants to leave after a week, they are welcome to leave.”<\/p>\n “We have had people working for less.\u00a0 There are people that can afford paying more, but we simply can\u2019t afford it.”<\/p>\n Read: You will have to pay your domestic worker more from December 2016<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n According to the advert, the domestic worker has to have a valid passport which “Mrs Allie” will keep with her.<\/p>\n “You see, what happened before is we had stuff stolen in our home, clothes and stuff, and we needed a guarantee that it won\u2019t happen again,” he said.<\/p>\n Allie said the family preferred foreign domestic workers.<\/p>\n “Particularly Zimbabwean. We have worked with them in the past and we trust them,” Allie said.<\/p>\n “I don\u2019t understand why there is any issue with it. Many people that have worked for us were pleased with what we were paying and they would\u2019ve accepted less.<\/p>\n “We offer them a home. We offer them sheets for the bed.”<\/p>\n The Twitterati however held nothing back.<\/p>\n “This is disgusting,” tweeted @jennabruwer, while @mattduplessis said: “I think you’ll find it’s standard practice in the industry. The human trafficking & modern slavery industry, that is.”<\/p>\n