The impact of minimum wages on the market for domestic workers in South Africa

M.Comm.In September 2002 South Africa saw the implementation of labour market regulation policy in the market for domestic workers, known as Sectoral Determination 7: domestic worker sector. This policy has been promulgated through the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No 75 of 1997. The primary rationale behind the introduction of Sectoral Determination 7 was to protect the most vulnerable labour market sectors in South Africa such as domestic services workers and farm workers. This mini dissertation thus investigates the impact of the policy of minimum wages on the market for domestic workers in the South African context, and examines whether minimum wages in South Africa contribute to higher employment levels and better conditions of employment in the market for domestic workers. This is achieved through a comprehensive comparative analysis of a survey undertaken in the City of Pretoria at Orchards and Soshanguve against two similar surveys conducted in Bloemfontein in 2006 and 2001, respectively