Working women: how black professional women in Cape Town navigate outsourcing of domestic work
Loading...
Date
2024
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Western Cape
Abstract
This research employs a qualitative feminist methodology to focus on black professional females who employ domestic workers in their homes in contemporary Cape Town. Domestic
work is the second largest area of employment for Black women in South Africa. Studies conducted on domestic work indicate that the experiences of women employed in this field vary from women in other sectors, primarily because domestic work takes place in personal intimate spaces. Domestic workers face a daunting range of problems linked to the
special characteristics of their employment. However, there are limited studies conducted on the personal location of women that rely on and employ, domestic workers in their homes.
The study was conducted with seven Black professional women who employed domestic workers in Cape Town, and this was conducted in the form of a focus group.
The research explored how Black women professionals navigated and shaped the relationship between themselves and their domestic workers and understanding the hierarchical power
which reinforces differential status of employer and employee. Findings from the study indicated that the relationship between employers and their domestic workers highlighted the
difficulty in establishing clear boundaries and that employers used certain criteria for the recruitment of their domestic workers through familial networks and linkages.
Description
Keywords
domestic workers, feminist, employers, gender, class