Domestic workers suffer mental health issues over low wages and higher living costs

The eighth annual report by Sweepsouth, an online home services platform, shows domestic workers battling mental health as they swim against an avalanche of debt, hardship and job insecurity, with rising living costs outpacing their stagnant wages. 

The Domestic Worker Pay and Working Conditions Report 2025, based on responses from 5,039 domestic workers nationwide, shows one in three of the 839,000 domestic workers in SA still earns below the minimum wage of R28.79 per hour as living costs shoot through the roof. 

Median domestic work earnings, according to the report, are R3,635, nearly R900 short of the R4,500 needed for basic monthly expenses. 

It noted 39% of domestic workers in the country earned below the national minimum wage; with 82% being the main breadwinners supporting households with an average of four dependants. 

The report states 33% of domestic workers were in debt and 16% reported a decline in mental health.

The report comes as the low-growing SA economy is facing a crisis of unemployment, with major employers in the steel, tyre and manufacturing sectors shedding thousands of jobs. Sweepsouth’s report states that while domestic workers remained the backbone of many SA households, their own lives were “increasingly precarious”.

Even those working full-time, sometimes seven days a week, are trapped in a deficit between income and basic survival costs.” 

—  Lourandi Kriel, Sweepsouth CEO 

“This financial pressure means that even with full-time employment, households are unable to cover their most basic needs. Many live month-to-month, often turning to debt to bridge the shortfall,” the authors said in the report. 

“Over the past year, costs of essential goods and services have risen sharply. Housing costs increased by 11% and food prices by 8%. For the average domestic worker, the monthly shortfall between income and essential expenses now sits at nearly R900.” 

The situation leaves no room for savings, emergencies or investments in education. It states that families are forced to make impossible choices between “putting food on the table, paying rent or keeping children in school”. 

Calls for living wages and protections

Sweepsouth CEO Lourandi Kriel said: “These findings paint a stark picture of economic vulnerability. Even those working full time, sometimes seven days a week, are trapped in a deficit between income and basic survival costs. Unless we address wage gaps, abuse and barriers to skills growth, this cycle of hardship will continue to repeat itself.” 

DA MP and labour analyst Michael Bagraim said many households were beginning to view domestic workers as a luxury rather than a necessity, and were often letting them go to cushion themselves against the rising cost of living.

Pinky Mashiane, a domestic worker and president of the United Domestic Workers of SA, could not immediately be reached for comment.

The report states domestic workers have to contend with long commutes, which take an emotional toll on them as they “eat into earnings and family time”.

“In addition to their paid duties, many workers carry responsibilities such as caring for elderly relatives or managing household needs in their own families ... A fraction of domestic workers who lose their jobs are registered for Unemployment Insurance Fund, while employers themselves face outdated, complex UIF processes that discourage compliance,” the report states. 

It further shows that 16% of respondents said their mental health was “worsening over the past year” and this was “linked directly to financial strain, workplace instability or experiences of abuse. Few have access to affordable counselling, although most said they would seek help if services were available”.

Sweepsouth called for the payment of a “living wage” that reflects real costs of living “rather than only the legal minimum”, fair working hours and zero tolerance for workplace abuse. 

“Domestic workers are an essential part of SA’s social and economic fabric. By investing in their wellbeing and growth, we are not only protecting one of the most vulnerable groups in society but also creating stronger families, more stable communities and a workforce that can withstand external shocks,” Kriel said. 

“The findings of the 2025 report are clear. Unless wage policies, labour protections and social investments improve, the gap between what domestic workers earn and what they need to live will continue to widen. The consequences will not only be felt by workers themselves but also by the families and communities that depend on them.” 

mkentanel@businesslive.co.za