SWEEPSOUTH, the South African cleaning services company, has welcomed the National Minimum Wage Commission’s proposal that domestic worker salaries be increased to 100 percent of the minimum wage.
The company said it is committed to the dignity of its workers, and strongly supports aligning minimum pay for domestic workers to the national minimum wage.
SweepSouth said its annual report on domestic worker pay and work conditions has shown the precarious nature of domestic work and the pressure to make ends meet.
“This often involves (domestic workers) reducing their spend on vital items like food and taking on debt. With this step and the introduction of additional protections, domestic work is finally recognised as no different to other types of work.
“However, ease of compliance is key and SweepSouth remains committed to continuing to help break down barriers that exist for domestic workers, and to work with numerous stakeholders to help ensure better and easier access to benefits,” said SweepSouth.
The commission said the minimum wage for domestic workers in 2021 came to R19.09 per hour and the equalisation of the domestic sector was proposed in 2020, wherein there was a minority report proposing a phased-in approach.
“The commission agrees that, in order to retain the purchasing power of the national minimum wage, the annual adjustment should be set as an increment above the increase in the cost of living. Inflation should be measured by the increase in the Consumer Price Index.
“The commission notes that inflation for low-income households is currently significantly higher than it is for the upper-income group. In October 2021, the headline year-on-year CPI rate was 5 percent,” said the commission.
BUSINESS REPORT ONLINE