Angela's Story - an update

You may remember the last post I wrote about Angela and her employer, Pecksniff… And you may like to know what has transpired since then. The simple answer is not a lot – assuming one is only talking about the authorities. On the flip side, there’s been some great progress.

Following on the last post about Angela, I contacted the South African Domestic Services and Allied Workers Union (SADSAWU) and spoke the secretary general, Myrtle Witbooi. It seemed she was well aware of Pecksniff’s operation and several others like it, which were considerably worse. One “maid service” operation, the worst example, lured refugees and women from rural areas and kept them in a single garage – some twenty women with one toilet to share between them. They were paid a pittance – if they were lucky. Three years ago, one young woman was found dead and the company was forced to close. At the time, Myrtle contacted a local television programme (Carte Blanche) to do an exposé of these exploitative companies. The producers, however, despite interviewing Myrtle, never came back to her. In the meantime, the “maid service company” has re-opened - and is operating without a license.

Several other companies have also come to the Union’s attention – many of whom pay below the minimum wage having lured refugees and women from rural areas with promises of a “better life”.

As I understand it the problem lies with the Department of Labour, which although it requires these “maid services” operations to be registered and to maintain a list of employees, evidently requires them to do little else and certainly appears not to regulate this “industry” in any way. This means that many of these “companies” fly under the radar and get away with treating their staff abysmally. However, this is not just a South African problem, it’s rife across the world, as a google search will show you. While the Union does what it can it is totally under-resourced and also hamstrung by the fact that many of the workers will not come forward to complain or give evidence against employers.

This is tragically understandable. The labour market is huge, made up of millions of local people and millions of refugees. The market it serves, on the other hand, is very small. Thus most people put up and shut up because a couple of dollars a day is worth more than no income at all. The grim truth is that the weak and oppressed are always exploited. But at least there are organizations and people out there trying to do something about it.

Myrtle Witbooi told me that she had a meeting lined up with the Minister of Labour to discuss these very issues and I referred her to my blog post with its list of concerns about Pecksniff – having given her Pecksniff’s real name and details. I have, however, heard nothing further from her – and don’t expect to.

In wanting to help in some way, many of you were kind enough to write to the International Labour Organisation – and you will no doubt have had a similar letter to the one I received saying there was nothing they could do to help and suggesting that I contact the local union representative – despite my having told them I’d already done that. I do sometimes wonder if people actually read the full content of their emails…

I also contacted the Black Sash, a local NGO (non profit/non govermental organization) that deals with social, labour and human rights issues. They have remained blissfully silent. Admittedly, this sort of thing may not be their jurisdiction, but you’d think that given an old school pal is one of the directors she may have pointed me in the right direction…

And herein lies the rub: I learned long ago that if you want to get something done, don’t rely on authority figures and institutions. There is too much politics and too much bureaucracy – and more than a small bit of self interest. It is far more effective to make whatever difference you can, by yourself. You don’t change the world in a grand brushstroke – you change the world by being the best you can in your own small corner. As Ghandi said, “you must be the change you want to see in the world”.

So, whilst nothing has happened at the grand brushstroke level things have been happening in my own backyard.

In a rather ironic twist, Pecksniff, despite having fired D and I as clients, has allowed Angela to continue working here – which has made it easier for us to help her. For one thing, working directly for us her salary (for one day of the week) has increased substantially – to the extent that she is now able to send sufficient money to Zimbabwe to get her daughter a private tutor (given that the education system in Zim has crumbled entirely). Secondly, once her maternity leave is over, Angela will not be going back to work for Pecksniff.

I have a friend, T, who is in the throes of starting a small NGO, called Dreamworker (“working for the unemployed”), which assists job seekers in finding employment. On Wednesday, having written a letter of recommendation for her, I will be taking Angela for an interview with T. In the meantime, I’m teaching Angela the meaning of empowerment and self worth – helping her to understand the value of what she does and that she deserves to be treated well - but that unless she stands up for herself, people will take advantage of her wherever they can. T, in turn, will explain to Angela her rights in terms of the Labour Relations Act. T will then line up a series of interviews for Angela and Angela will be able to choose who she works for. And if the first new job doesn’t work out, T will find her another job. If Angela has a good experience with Dreamworker, she will be able to refer her friends there. Hopefully, Angela’s own experiences will be a light for others.

We start with one, in our own backyard…

It’s ironic that Dreamworker does something not dissimilar from Pecksniff, only it doesn’t charge for its services– it’s all done because T wants to make a difference and to make the world a better place by helping people empower themselves. She started in her own neighbourhood and now she’s spreading her angel’s wings over more of Cape Town.

In due course, I hope to write an article for the local media with T on the “life stories” of those she’s helped. I hope Angela’s story will be one of those.


ADDENDUM: It may interest you to know that last month Pecksniff paid Angela and other employees less than half a month's salary. When Angela protested, she was given another few hundred rand but still didn't receive her full salary. When she protested again, Pecksniff arranged to pay her full salary, but insisted that Angela didn't tell other employees... It has struck both Angela and me that Pecksniff's operation may well be on the skids. Staff, sick and tired of the way they are treated, are leaving, and even customers, who are coming to learn more about Pecksniff and how she does business, are walking away. Unfortunately, Pecksniff is but one of many.