This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers.
The SA Institute of Race Relations says the number of domestic workers in the country has declined over the last 10 years.
The Institute says research has revealed that the number of domestic workers had fallen from just over 1.2 million in 2003 to 1.15 million in 2012, a 5 % decrease.
Researcher, Georgina Alexander, says this drop is significant because of the rise of the middle class over the same period, who may be less inclined to employ domestic workers.
For example, Living Standard Measures data shows that the number of people in the highest living standard category had increased from 1.5 million to 2.1 million or by 37% over the same period.
Average household incomes have also risen in nominal terms by 113% over the last decade. The inference is that South Africa’s middle classes are less inclined to employ domestic workers than was the case in past decades,’ Ms Alexander said.
‘The reasons for this are unknown and have to be left to speculation. However, stricter labour law and minimum wage regulations, security concerns, smaller homes and properties, racial and cultural shifts in the social attitudes of the new middle class, increasing administered prices such as electricity, rates, and fuel bills, and increased
household debt levels may all have contributed to the phenomenon ends"