The Department of Employment and Labour has warned employers that they are obligated to register domestic workers with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) if they hire them for 24 hours or more per month.
Legal Requirement for Employers
Inspector-General Aggie Moyloa stated that registration is not merely a recommendation but a legal obligation. He emphasized: 'If you hire a domestic worker for 24 hours or more per month, you must register them with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF). This is not an option; it is a legal requirement.'
Worker Demands and Trade Unions
This warning comes amid increasing demands from domestic workers for more robust protection in the labour sector. Trade unions note that many workers lack access to basic rights such as UIF registration, fair wages, and proper adherence to labour legislation.
Socio-Economic Situation
According to data from the SweepSouth Report on Domestic Workers' Wages and Working Conditions for 2023, the average domestic worker in South Africa supports four dependents and serves as the sole breadwinner for the family. The same survey, which covered over 5,500 participants, showed that the average age of these workers is 37 years, and they rely on domestic work as their only source of income, earning approximately 2989 South African Rand per month.
Trade Union Activity and Employment Crisis
Earlier this year, the South African Domestic Service and Related Professions Union (SADSAWU), supported by Cosatu, also held a demonstration at the Department of Employment and Labour in Cape Town. There, they submitted a memorandum with demands, urging the government to intervene urgently. A central demand was an appeal to Minister of Labour Nomakhosazane Mthethwa to ensure the full recognition of domestic workers as formal employees with access to the protection afforded to other sectors.
Furthermore, domestic workers are facing an employment crisis. According to the SweepSouth report for 2025, the number of domestic workers in South Africa has decreased from approximately 1.2 million before the Covid-19 pandemic to just over 839,000 in the second quarter of 2025.