– by Luke Kannemeyer In President Ramaphosa’s speech last night and with the leaking of draft level 3 regulations, many found welcome good news. Some highlights include that the curfew will be lifted, there will be minimal restriction on outdoor exercising and alcohol will be allowed to be sold for consumption at home. The whole…
SweepSouth Appeals for Support for Domestic Worker Fund as Reserves Decrease Under Extended Lockdown Conditions
Domestic workers across South Africa on the brink of going two months without earning a wage SweepStars will continue to receive weekly support payments to meet their basic needs for a further six weeks SweepSouth is continuing to approach potential donors and is striving for additional contributions to preserve the SweepStar Fund further…
President Cyril Ramphosa’s 13 May Speech: 5 Things You Need to Know
– by Luke Kannemeyer Contrary to the many memes being shared about our President’s speech not containing any useful information, there were a number of very important points made on Wednesday night. While we all may have wished for greater detail on some topics, here are the five things I think you should know. ONE…
Happy Mother’s Day
Happy mother’s day. A single phrase accompanied by breakfast, gifts or a morning outing. It’s not simply a phrase though… it’s a powerful statement. It’s Mother. It’s not simply a gift with a card. It’s a provider. It’s a giver. It’s shelter. It’s love. It’s strength and it’s legacy. In this ever-changing, unpredictable world, we…
Alert Level 4: What You Need To Know About Domestic Workers’ Return To Work
– by Luke Kannemeyer I have seen plenty of questions about the regulations around domestic employees and other cleaning professionals during Alert Level 4. As a senior manager at SweepSouth, Africa’s largest domestic cleaning platform, I have studied the AL4 Gazette thoroughly and can offer you my insight. The rules, clear and simple: ALL live-in…
Workers’ Day 2020: Your support has never been more crucial
A unique poignancy shrouds Workers’ Day this year – an occasion meant to celebrate the endeavour and economic contribution of organised labour – as millions of South Africans face an uncertain future in terms of health, employment and economic stability. The nationwide Covid-19 lockdown and measures designed to encourage physical distancing certainly appear to have…
The Distribution of The SweepSouth COVID-19 SweepStar Funds
When lockdown hit South Africa, sooner rather than later (a bit sooner than we thought), our first concern was how this would impact SweepStars. In our annual report on pay and working conditions for domestic workers in South Africa, conducted in 2019, we found that domestic workers are the most economically vulnerable members of society….
Easter Activities in Lockdown
You may be sitting at home thinking about all the plans you had for your Easter weekend, but now stuck in your home facing the reality of lockdown. Look it’s not the end of the world, there’s so much we can do in the comfort of our homes. We have locked down some lockdown activities…
Introducing The SweepSouth COVID-19 SweepStar Fund
SWEEPSOUTH LAUNCHES FUND TO HELP DOMESTIC WORKERS SURVIVE NATIONAL LOCKDOWN AND BEYOND At least R4 million per month will be needed to help SweepStars and their families cover the cost of basic essentials during lockdown and beyond when social distancing measures might continue to threaten their ability to work Corporates and the public…
Lockdown: Keeping Sane in the “New Normal”
When our President announced the ominous and inevitable lockdown that was hanging over our country, it was hard to feel nothing but scared and uncertain. There certainly has been so much talk about the coronavirus that it had us spirling between “there’s nothing to worry about here & the world is ending!”. We just want…
