Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In the domestic work sector, the employment relationship between employer and domestic
worker has undergone various transitions over the years. The first transition saw the
transformation of a characteristically abusive master-servant employment relationship into a
madam-maid employment relationship. During this transition, domestic servants moved out
of masters’ houses and opt for live-out and part-time working arrangements. However, this
transformation did not improve domestic work much, as the employment relationship was
maternalistic in nature. Various authors documented how the personal maternalistic
employment was not only emotionally draining to both maid and madam, but also that maids
were still prone to exploitation by madams, as domestic work was not regulated by law. This
resulted in a second transition, where outsourced housecleaning service companies
transformed this personal maternalistic employment relationship into a triangular
employment relationship between manager, domestic employee (former domestic
servant/maid/domestic worker) and client (former master/madam/employer). The triangular
employment relationship creates distance between clients and domestic employees as
domestic employees are under the authority and supervision of a third person (the
manager/owner of housecleaning service company). In this study, these general trends are
analysed with reference to the evolution of domestic work in South Africa. While there have
been many studies focusing on domestic work, few studies have documented whether this
transition has transformed domestic work ‘for better or worse’ with reference to the growth in
housecleaning service companies in South Africa. This study attempts to fill this void by
analysing managers’, domestic employees’ and clients’ perspectives of two housecleaning
service companies in the Stellenbosch area. Throughout this study, every transition is
discussed in terms of nature of employment, employment relationship, working conditions
and benefits for both client and domestic employee. The final chapter tries to answer the
question whether housecleaning service companies are ‘for better or worse’ on both micro
and macro level and the need for future research in this field of academic endeavour is spelt
out. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die diensverhouding tussen werkgewer en huishulp het verskeie veranderinge oor die jare
ondergaan. Die eerste oorgang sien die transformasie van 'n kenmerkende beledigende
meester-dienaar in ʼn Mevrou-bediende diensverhouding. Gedurende hierdie oorgang, het
bediendes uit die huise van die meesters beweeg na ʼn leef-uit en deeltydse werk reëling.
Hierdie transformasie het egter nie huishoudelike werk verbeter nie, omdat die
diensverhouding maternalisties in aard is. Verskeie outeurs dokumenteer hoe die persoonlike
maternalistiese indiensneming nie slegs emosioneel dreineerend vir beide die Mevrou en
bediende is nie, maar ook dat bediendes uitgebuit is deur hul werkgewers, omdat
huishoudelike werk nie deur die wet gereguleer is nie. Dit het gelei tot 'n tweede oorgang,
waar uitgekontrakteerde huisskoonmaakdienste die persoonlike maternalistiese
diensverhouding in ʼn driehoekige diensverhouding tussen die bestuurder, werknemer
(voormalige dienaar/bediende) en die kliënt (voormalige Meester/Mevrou/werkgewer)
verander. Die driehoekige werksverhouding skep afstand tussen kliënte en werknemers,
omdat werknemers onder die gesag en toesig van 'n derde persoon (die bestuurder) is. In
hierdie studie, word hierdie algemene tendense met betrekking tot die evolusie van betaalde
huiswerk in Suid-Afrika geanaliseer. Alhoewel daar ʼn aantal hoeveelheid studies oor betaalde
huiswerk gedoen is, fokus min studies of hierdie oorgang, huishoudelike werk "vir beter of
slegter" verander het in terme van die groei in huisskoonmaakdienste in Suid-Afrika. Hierdie
studie poog om hierdie leemte te vul deur die ontleding van bestuurders, huishoudelike
werknemers en kliënte se perspektiewe van twee huisskoonmaakdienste in die Stellenboschomgewing
te analiseer. Deurgaans in hierdie studie, word elke oorgang bespreek in terme van
die aard van indiensneming, die diensverhouding, die werksomstandighede en voordele vir
beide die kliënt en die werknemer. Die finale hoofstuk probeer die vraag antwoord of
huisskoonmaakdienste huishoudelike werk "vir beter of slegter” verander het op beide die
mikro en makro-vlak en die noodsaaklikheid vir toekomstige navorsing in hierdie veld van
akademiese strewe word uitgespel.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/19921 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Du Toit, David |
| Contributors | Heinecken, L. P. T., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology . |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 133 p. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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