There is proof that women continue to migrate from other countries to seek better ways of survival and to increase their sustainable livelihood. These women’s migration is linked to their provisional efforts and the challenges they encounter in salvaging and bettering lives within households (Kim 2014:553). When they migrate, a solid number of these women acquire jobs as domestic workers in the host countries.
The main purpose of this study has been to investigate the sustainable livelihoods of domestic female migrants in Dunoon, Cape Town in the Western Cape of South Africa. Sustainable livelihood is described as a person’s capacity to support themselves in a way that is viably long (Serrat 2017). The research implemented primary and secondary data collection methods. The study employed a qualitative research method to investigate, in this context, thirty (30) migrant women working as domestic workers. Ten (10) domestic workers’ employers, two (2) officials from the Department of Social Development and two (2) foreign community representatives were also interviewed and two (2) focus groups discussions were held to gather primary data. A snowball sampling technique was applied to select the respondents.
Evidence shows that the lives of women working as migrant domestic workers have improved positively when compared to their circumstances in their places of origin. When these women obtain jobs as domestic workers, they notice improvement in their livelihoods. However, they face difficulties at work and come across social challenges in the places where they live. Poor infrastructure, robbery, intolerance of foreigners, and uncooperative employers, inter alia, in the host countries are cited as detrimental rudiments to their progress. While policies are available to protect them, a vast number of these women fail to acquire such services due to lack of information, time, funds, and assistance to leverage these. Although the South African government provides services to assist and protect all women regardless of their country of origin, evidence shows that more programmes and facilities are needed and should be established to empower all women living in South Africa.
Kunobufakazi bokuthi abesifazane bayaqhubeka nokufuduka besuka kwamanye amazwe beyofuna izindlela ezingcono zokuphila futhi bakhulise ukuphila kwabo okuzinzile. Ukufuduka kwalaba besifazane kuxhumene nemizamo yabo yesikhashana kanye nezinselela abahlangabezana nazo ekusindiseni nasekuthuthukiseni izimpilo zabo emakhaya (Kim 2014:553). Lapho befuduka, inani elikhulu lalaba besifazane bathola imisebenzi njengabasebenzi basezindlini emazweni asekhaya.
Inhloso enkulu yalolu cwaningo bekuwukuphenya izimpilo ezisimeme zabesifazane basekhaya abafudukayo eDunoon, eKapa eNtshonalanga Kapa yaseNingizimu Afrika. Ukuphila okusimeme kuchazwa njengamandla omuntu okuzisekela ngendlela ende (Serrat 2017). Ucwaningo lwenze izindlela zokuqoqa imininingwane eziyinhloko nezesibili.
Ucwaningo lusebenzise indlela yocwaningo echazayo ukuphenya, kulesi simo, abesifazane abangamashumi amathathu (30) abafudukayo abasebenza njengabasebenzi basezindlini. Abaqashi babasebenzi basezindlini abayishumi (10), izikhulu ezimbili (2) zoMnyango Wezokuthuthukiswa Komphakathi kanye nabamele umphakathi wangaphandle ababili (2) nabo kwaxoxwa nabo futhi kwaba nezingxoxo zamaqembu amabili (2) okugxilwe kuwo ukuze kuqoqwe imininingwane eyinhloko. Kusetshenziswe indlela yesampula engenakwenzeka ukuze kukhethwe abaphendulayo.
Ubufakazi bukhombisa ukuthi izimpilo zabesifazane abasebenza njengabasebenzi basezindlini abaphuma kwamanye amazwe zibe ngcono kakhulu uma ziqhathaniswa nezimo zabo ezindaweni abazalelwa kuzo. Lapho laba besifazane bethola imisebenzi yasezindlini, babona intuthuko endleleni yabo yokuziphilisa. Nokho, babhekana nobunzima emsebenzini futhi bahlangabezane nezinselela zomphakathi ezindaweni abahlala kuzo.
Ingqalasizinda empofu, ukugetshengwa, ukungabekezelelani kwabantu bakwamanye amazwe, nabaqashi abangabambisene nabo, phakathi kokunye, emazweni abambe iqhaza abalulwa njengezisekelo ezilimaza inqubekelaphambili yabo. Nakuba izinqubomgomo zitholakala ukubavikela, inqwaba yalaba besifazane bayehluleka ukuthola lezi zinsizakalo ngenxa yokuntuleka kolwazi, isikhathi, izimali kanye nosizo lokusebenzisa lezi zinsiza. Yize uhulumeni waseNingizimu Afrika ehlinzeka ngezinsizakalo zokusiza nokuvikela bonke abantu besifazane kungakhathaliseki ukuthi badabuka kuphi, ubufakazi bukhombisa ukuthi kudingeka ezinye izinhlelo nezinsiza futhi kumele zisungulwe ukuze kuthuthukiswe bonke abesifazane abahlala eNingizimu Afrika.
Daar is bewyse dat vroue steeds vanuit ander lande migreer op soek na beter maniere om te oorleef en hul volhoubare lewensbestaan uit te brei. Die migrasie van hierdie vroue hou verband met hul pogings om te voorsien en die uitdagings wat hulle te bowe moet kom om lewens binne hul huishoudings te bewaar en te verbeter (Kim 2014:553). Wanneer hulle migreer, word heelwat van hierdie vroue in die gasheerlande as huiswerkers in diens geneem.
Die hoofdoel van hierdie studie was om die volhoubare lewensbestaan van vroulike migrante wat as huiswerkers werk in Dunoon, Kaapstad, in die Wes-Kaap van Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Volhoubare lewensbestaan word beskryf as ‘n persoon se vermoë om hom- of haarself te onderhou op ‘n manier wat lewensvatbaar lank is (Serrat 2017). Die navorsing het primêre en sekondêre data-insamelingsmetodes geïmplementeer. Die studie het ook ‘n kwalitatiewe navorsingsmetode aangewend om in hierdie konteks ‘n ondersoek te doen na dertig (30) migrantvroue wat as huiswerkers werk. Onderhoude is ook gevoer met tien (10) werkgewers van huiswerkers, twee (2) amptenare van die Departement van Maatskaplike Ontwikkeling en twee (2) verteenwoordigers van die buitelandse gemeenskap, en twee (2) fokusgroepbesprekings is gehou om primêre data te versamel. ‘n Sneeubalsteekproeftegniek is gebruik om die respondente te selekteer.
Die bewyse dui daarop dat die lewens van vroue wat as migranthuiswerkers werk, positief verander het in vergelyking met hul omstandighede in hul plek van oorsprong. Wanneer hierdie vroue as huiswerkers aangestel word, ervaar hulle ‘n verbetering in hul lewensbestaan. Hulle kom egter te staan teen probleme by die werk asook maatskaplike uitdagings op die plekke waar hul woon. Swak infrastruktuur, diefstal, onverdraagsaamheid jeens buitelanders, en werkgewers wat onwillig is om hul samewerking te gee in die gasheerlande, word onder andere genoem as grondbeginsels wat hul vooruitgang nadelig beinvloed. Alhoewel beleide bestaan om hulle te beskerm, verkry ‘n groot aantal van hierdie vroue nooit toegang tot sulke dienste nie weens ‘n gebrek aan inligting, tyd, fondse en hulp om dit optimaal te benut. Alhoewel die Suid-Afrikaanse regering dienste verskaf om alle vroue ongeag hul land van oorsprong by te staan en te beskerm, dui getuienis daarop dat meer programme en geriewe nodig is en ingestel moet word om alle vroue wat in Suid-Afrika leef, te bemagtig.
