Jambo Africa Online’s Publisher, SAUL MOLOBI, reports on the launch of a ground-breaking campaign that celebrates unsung sheroes.
At an epoch defining inauguration of Zingiswa Losi as the President of the biggest trade union federation in the country, Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU), she quoted from the legendary speech by Charlotte Mannya-Maxeke at the second conference of the National Council of African Women in 1938 that defined the people-centredness as one of ethos of quality leadership: “The work is not for oneself. Kill the spirit of ‘self’ and do not live above your people, but with them. If you rise above them, take somebody with you.” This iconic words were succinctly captured by Robert Ingersoll as he mused: “We rise by lifting others.”
The legacy of Losi’s leadership of COSATU will be characterised by not only stabilising the federation after it suffered a historic split, but also her special focus on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable section of the labour force – namely, the domestic workers. This was even more amplified when she decided to mainstream issues affecting domestic workers by driving them out of obscurity into the focal point during the celebrations aimed at marking 28 October 2021 as the 10th anniversary of the International Labour Organisation’s “Making Decent Work a Reality for Domestic Workers.”
The ILO estimates that there are 67 million domestic workers globally and over 80% of them are women. It is common knowledge that most of the domestic workers come from poverty-stricken and socially-disadvantaged workforce in the world of work. What compounds the dire situation is the nature of the workplace that shield them the public and keeps them isolated. “Therefore, most of these workers find themselves being vulnerable to physical, sexual, harassment, violence and other forms of abuse,” commented Losi. “These workers often do work that is beyond their contractual work and such include care for the sick, elderly, children, those with disabilities and pets. Some domestic workers are employed by multiple employers or as migrant domestic workers without necessary documentation. This makes them even more vulnerable and end up not being registered with the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF).”
Losi argued that the “pancession” – that is, the COVID-19 induced recession – and stigmatisation of domestic workers have excarcebated their vulnerability as many lost their jobs because their employers (who continued to receive their salaries) were forced to work from home during the lockdown intended to contain the spread of the virus. “The other problem was the misperception and misguided fear that domestic workers were the virus carriers. Being poor shouldn’t be regarded as tantamount to affliction by disease.”
It is therefore within this context that the COSATU and the abOVEnormal initiative – under the custodianship of human rights activist and television personality, Masingita Masunga – have partnered to execute an integrated programme to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the adoption of the Domestic Workers’ Convention by the ILO. The strategic objective of this initiative is to jointly pay homage, give honour and appreciation to domestic workers who have raised kings and queens build families, fed nations, carried the nations on their backs whilst nourishing the homeliness and familial cohesion across the globe. Yet they remain undermined and taken for granted to this day. They have been exposed to the worst forms of discrimination and malignment in respect of conditions of employment and of work and to other human rights abuses.
abOVEnormal is a multidisciplinary initiative premised on the concept of “mens sana in corpore sano” – which means “sound mind in a sound body”. It incorporates inculcation of above normal self confidence, strategic focus, high performance and physical agility premised on health awareness; fitness and sportswear. The sportswear label is intended to disrupt the market as it is the first black-owned sports brand in the country.
It is a holistic (body,mind and soul) fitness brand (it helps to achieve optimum fitness through a lifestyle of non-conformity, non – confinement, resilience and resistance to situations circumstances and attitudes that are limiting) It is formulated in multiple products, programs and platforms. The initiative’s objectives include:
• To promote unity in diversity
• To contribute to the healing of the nation
• To encourage collaboration and working together for the well-being of the nation.
The collaboration will be in the form of advocacy for a day to be declared Domestic Workers Day. This has to be in consultation with the union leadership, The South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU) in line with our mantra: “Nothing about Us Without Us”! The representatives of the domestic workers have to play a critical role in this.
The Domestic Workers Day commemoration on 28 October will be done under the theme: “Making decent work a reality for domestic workets – serving the Server”!
COSATU’s aims and objectives include to fight for worker rights by securing social and economic justice for all workers; and to strive for a just standard of Living, Social Security and fair conditions of work for all.
As alluded to earlier, this commemoration will be marking the 10th anniversary of the Adoption of the Domestic Workers Convention No. 189 which pertains to Decent Work for Domestic Workers. “This marks an important milestone to take stock of the progress made thus far, identify the challenges still prevalent, and chart the path forward in redressing all of them” said Losi, matter-of-factly.
The session will recall the significance of the 2011 adoption of ILO C189 and highlight a decade progress made on the working conditions of domestic workers and further assess challenges and gaps. “The crisis has highlighted the urgent need to formalize domestic work to ensure their access to decent work, starting with the extension and implementation of labour and social security laws to all domestic workers,” said Guy Ryder, the ILO’s Director-General.
COSATU, in collaboration with abOVENormal, says it’s Above O’clock, its time to SALUTE the true queens of the workers struggle. We are changing the gear to commemorate the Decent Work Month by paying Homage to the Domestic Workers profession.
“We look forward to all our stakeholders joining in this worthy cause,” concluded Losi, “because the domestic workers are the engines of our household.”
DRAFT PROGRAMME FOR THE DAY ON 28 OCTOBER 2021 AT THE IMBIZO SHISANYAMA IN MIDRAND:
09h00 – 17h00
1. 07h30-09h00: Domestic Workers Traveling from Jhb to Midrand SADSAWU
2. 09h00 -10h00: Breakfast and Registration by SADSAWU
3. 10h00-10h15: Opening and Welcome Remarks by COSATU’s 2nd Deputy President
4. 10h15-10h20: Welcome and word of encouragement by Imbizo’s Shisanyama Owner, Rita Zwane
5. 10h20-10h30: aBOVEnOrmal word of inspiration by Executive Director, Masinga Masungutu
6. 10h30-10h45: Significance of C190 to Domestic Workers – Myrtle Witbooi, SADSAWU’s
General Secretary
7. 10h45-11h30: Health Break – All
8. 11h30-12h00: ILO Report’s “Making Decent Work a Reality for Domestic Workers” by ILO – DWT Pretoria Director
9. 12h00-12h30: National Perspective by Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour
10. 12h30-12h45: COSATU Remarks
11. 12h45-13h15: Presentation President
12. 13h15-14h30: All the Ministers, Deputy Ministers and COSATU CEC delegates, COSATU President, aBOVENormal and Imbizo Owner serve food to the Domestic Workers.