Employment conditions and challenges associated with being a domestic worker in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

Despite domestic workers constituting a large portion of vulnerable workers in the informal sector, published studies on their health in relation to work are scarce, especially in South Africa. This baseline study aimed to investigate the general employment conditions and challenges associated with being a domestic worker in KwaZulu-Natal. A descriptive cross-sectional survey of 90 women was conducted. A lack of written contracts, low wages, long working hours and the need to reside with employers or commute long distances to work characterised the employment conditions and challenges of domestic workers. The work involved physical, repetitive tasks for lengthy hours, sometimes with forceful exertion coupled with prolonged standing. Initiatives for sustained improvement in employment and working conditions for these workers are an urgent need.