Share

Domestic workers will soon be able to claim for injuries at work, minister promises

Following a landmark court ruling, amendments to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act - which will include domestic workers - will be presented to Parliament soon, Labour and Employment Minister Thulas Nxesi told Members of Parliament. 

In a written reply to MPs circulated on Tuesday, Nxesi was answering a question from Democratic Alliance MP Michael Cardo. Cardo had asked Nxesi what steps his department took to comply with a North Gauteng High Court order made earlier this year.

In May, the court ruled that the exclusion of domestic workers in the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act was unconstitutional.

According to a labour report from Statistics SA, there are around a million domestic workers in South Africa.

While Nxesi did not give specifics in his written reply, he did say the Department of Labour and Employment complied with the high court judgement and that Parliament would see the amendments to the Act soon.

"The Compensation of Injuries on Duty Amendment Act has been finalised and will be presented to Parliament. The definition of 'employee' has been amended to include that of domestic workers.

"The revenue model included private household as a surplus," said Nxesi.

According to research conducted by the University of the Western Cape's Domestic Work Research Project in 2017, domestic workers remain among the worst paid, most vulnerable and disempowered members of South Africa's workforce.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.94
-0.2%
Rand - Pound
23.91
-0.1%
Rand - Euro
20.43
+0.2%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.2%
Platinum
910.50
+1.5%
Palladium
1,011.50
+1.0%
Gold
2,221.35
+1.2%
Silver
24.87
+0.9%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.8%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.8%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders