BusinessTech reported on 23 September 2026 that the Department of Employment and Labour plans inspections at the parliamentary villages in Acacia Park and Pelican Park, Cape Town, to count the domestic workers employed there and check that they are registered for UIF and lawfully employed. According to the report, the Minister of Employment and Labour, Nomakhosazana Meth, said no inspections had been done there and the Department held no records. If an inspector visits any household that employs a domestic worker, they ask for the same short list: a written contract, UIF registration, COIDA registration, payslips, and pay of at least the minimum wage.
What the report says
- The Department plans to inspect the two parliamentary villages in Cape Town where many MPs live.
- The aim is to count the domestic workers there and check UIF registration and lawful employment.
- It follows a parliamentary committee visit in March 2026 that found poor living conditions.
We could not find the Minister's written parliamentary reply itself, so the plan as described rests on BusinessTech's report.
What an inspector asks a household for
| What | When it applies | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| A written contract (the terms of her employment in writing) | She works 24 hours or more a month for you | Sectoral Determination 7 |
| UIF registration, and her UIF paid every month | She works 24 hours or more a month for you | Unemployment Insurance Act and Contributions Act |
| COIDA registration and the yearly Return of Earnings | Any hours | COIDA, and the Compensation Fund's 2021 notice |
| A payslip with every payment | She works 24 hours or more a month for you | Sectoral Determination 7 |
| At least R30.23 an hour, with a 4-hour minimum for any day she works | Any hours | National Minimum Wage Act |
A labour inspector who finds something missing can issue a compliance order with a date to fix it by. Having the paperwork in place makes a visit routine.
What to do if you are not sure where you stand
- Count her hours a month (weekly hours times 4⅓). One 8-hour day a week is about 34.7 hours, which is over the 24-hour line.
- Check you have a signed contract, a UIF reference number with her declared under it, a Compensation Fund registration number, and a payslip for every pay.
- Fix the gaps in that order. UIF and COIDA that are behind can both be caught up.
The full checklist is in employing a domestic worker in South Africa. If you would rather hand it over, AskMandla does the contract, payday and payslips, submits your UIF registration and runs her UIF, and handles COIDA registration and the Return of Earnings behind the scenes, for R450 once-off and R49 a month per worker. It also catches up UIF that is behind.
Questions people ask
Can a labour inspector come to my house?
A labour inspector may enter a business workplace without a warrant, but a private home is different: under section 65 of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, a labour inspector needs your consent or an authorisation from the Labour Court to come into your home. You are entitled to ask to see the inspector's certificate of appointment. Inspections can also be done by phone or by asking for documents.
What happens if an inspector finds my domestic worker is not registered for UIF?
A labour inspector can issue a compliance order giving you a date to register and pay what is owed. Unpaid UIF also carries a 10% penalty on the unpaid amount, plus interest.
Sources
- BusinessTech, "Government officials hiring domestic workers in hot water", 23 September 2026
- Sectoral Determination 7: Domestic Worker Sector (GN R1068 of 15 August 2002)
- Unemployment Insurance Act 63 of 2001, sections 38 to 41 (compliance orders)
- Basic Conditions of Employment Act 75 of 1997, section 65 (entry into a home)