Gumtree's modern-day slavery ad

It's tough being a domestic worker in South Africa.

You're overworked, underpaid and very often treated less than those who pay you a measly salary.

In many instances, you are expected to wake before the family does to prepare breakfast and ensure everyone's clothes are ironed and ready for them to just slip into before work and school.

The exploitation of domestic workers continue despite advances in legislation to protect them.

A Plumstead family posted a disgraceful ad for a pleasant-smelling domestic worker who would be expected to work seven days a week for pittance.

The family offers less than the minimum wage and requires the domestic worker to hand over her passport.

In the ad, which has since been removed, a Mrs Allie seeks a "hardworking housemaid".

""You're required to follow instructions and clean thoroughly and meticulously (the way I want)," the ad reads.

"You are expected to be clean and smell good and bath and change every day (and twice a day if necessary)."

The ad states the person should have no illnesses and be good with children.

In an interview with News24 the family defends the ad saying they see nothing wrong with it or the wage they're offering as it's all they can afford.

The ad is an indication of how poorly domestic workers are paid and treated in South Africa, still, in the year 2017.

By definition, the word maid is offensive. It reduces someone to being a servant.

The word 'maid' just like 'garden boy' are racist references which were used freely during Apartheid.

So yes, it's offensive!

The Allie family claim they can only afford to pay someone R2000 for nine hours a day, seven days a work.

A post for which a minimum of R3402 is required by law.

If you can't afford to at least pay the minimum wage, then you can't afford a domestic worker and should accept you'll have to do all the housework yourself.

As a domestic worker, you're a mother to children whose parents are absent.

You're a cook.

You're a cleaner.

You're often the breadwinner in your own family. 

The poor treatment of domestic workers speaks to a violation of a person's basic human rights.

Twenty-three years into democracy and we've made little progress to address the woeful conditions under which the 'help' is expected to work.

Don't get me wrong, not all domestic workers are treated badly.

I know of many people whose domestic worker is an aunt to their children. They're not seen or treated like the help, but as part of the family.

More needs to be done to protect the mothers who carry their employer's children on their back, while their little ones are home being taken care of by their grandmother.

Being a domestic worker is symbolic of the massive social inequalities in the country, which is rooted in its racially segregated past.

One of the reasons domestic workers are still being exploited is because they, like many of us, are desperate to keep our jobs.

We fear being without the security of having a stable monthly income which helps put food on the table, even if not for the entire month.

Employers know this - it's evident from Mr Allie's comments during a recent radio interview.

He says many of the people who have come for an interview are excited at the prospects of being a stay-in domestic, as they come from poor communities.

Employers, whether a CEO of a listed company or a struggling general worker, in many instances feel they're doing us a favour and so continue to exploit those of us desperate for work.

If you intend on employing someone to help you around the house, don't claim to be ignorant of the law.

Do your research, find out what is acceptable and proper. Find out what is decent - if you don't know. 

You cannot want to earn a market-related salary, but then fail to offer a living wage to your employee.

End this modern day slavery!