Should the proposed National Minimum Wage of R20 an hour (R3500 per month) be implemented, around 6.6 million people will benefit.
We should take a moment and allow that to settle in our souls; an estimated 6.6 million people earn less than R20 an hour. R160 per day. And get this, I know people who know people who are paying R11 an hour with no contribution to transport. R88 per day with up to half of that lost to transport. R44 a day. Most of these people are domestic workers who care for our children, our elderly and our homes. We entrust our loved ones and our most valuable assets to people we pay somewhere between R50 and R120 per day.
There are a few unavoidable consequences when people are impoverished and demeaned in this way. Here are a few of them – I am sure you will think of some more:
- People live with unimaginably high levels of stress
- People resort to debt simply to live
- People steal and engage in other criminal behaviours to survive
- People may turn to alcohol and abuse of other substances as hopelessness sets in and they lose the ability to dream.
- Loyalty and work ethic often diminish
- Anger and resentment build
And yet I know people who know people who are resisting paying their staff well despite all this. And we must remember that the word ‘minimum’ is just that; a minimum. We should be striving to pay significantly above this.
When The Peace Agency began the first Baby Home in Durban, South Africa we resolved that one of our key objectives as an NGO was to pay our team of staff a poverty-busting wage. One year, we doubled each staff member’s salary and from then on, everyone received at least one, sometimes two significant increases a year. Everyone always gets a 13
th cheque. Yes, this means that as an NGO we can “do less” in terms of babies. But the reality is that we are caring for more people. As a team, everyone feels dignified and empowered. This dignity and empowerment – not to mention resources – is then imparted outside of the workplace in our families and communities. Not only that, but because we are well cared for as a team, we can care well for the babies in return. People want to work at the Durban North Baby Home.
If we cannot afford to pay at least the minimum wage, then we cannot afford to start companies or NGO’s, and we cannot afford domestic staff. Poorly paid work is not better than no work at all as it destroys people’s humanity and hence the very fabric of society.
In your piece you state that you know of people who only pay their employees R11.00 an hour as opposed to the new suggested compulsory R20.00 per hour. Surely then, the new minimum wage of R20.00 an hour will at least put an end to those people who are exployting poor workers.We all know R20.00 is not enough to live on, but as a start those 6.6 Million people will be assisted.
Yes indeed Hugh…it is a start certainly..
But it is a low bar which must all try to clear with as much room as we are able
Justin you are so on the mark here… The minimum wage even is way below a living wage and we as employers need to be paying our employees decent wages that they can live on…so yes R20 an hour is better than R11.. But it’s still not good enough .. Dig deep people.. What can you do without so that others can make ends meet.
YES! And I am sure that whatever we do without will be a very small sacrifice compared to what many people go through daily…
Thank you so much for posting this brilliant and thought provoking article. I am challenged to start paying R250 / hour and yes I will need to do without a few things but what I do without are luxuries not necessities.
This is the right sentiment that we should all have Sharon…what can I do without so that my staff can live a decent life….
Couldn’t agree more: R20 per hour is far from a living wage but my hope is that this will be the first step in helping to solve our enormous poverty problem
You are RIGHT Eileen! It must just be seen as a start…an absolute minimum…
Well said Justy. I have “overpaid” my domestic workers for years, much to the horror of my colleagues, only because I actually ask them how much of their fee goes to transport! Your figures and story should be widely spread.
Ja it really is a double standard….that we can so easily dismiss notions of privilege but then pay people stones. This will implode society eventually….
As usual Justin, this is a call to each one of us to help change this exploitation of other human beings. We may complain about the high cost of living and not being able to afford higher wages – can we think for a moment what others have to endure just to survive ?
I loved Seretse Khama’s view on this…that everyone who had more should employ people who had less and pay them well…don’t hoard…employ! Imagine the possibilities if we all did that?!?!