Zimbabwe domestic worker used as a sex slave, exploited and dismissed

South Africa – In a shocking incident, a migrant worker has been sexually abused in Pretoria, the capital of South Africa. The United Domestic Workers of South Africa (UDWOSA) has revealed the shocking story of a migrant worker who faced sexual harassment, sexual abuse and super-exploitation by her employers.

The employers treated her badly. The migrant worker was used as a slave and an object for their sexual pleasures. According to the union, the husband, wife and one of their sons, who are all from Saudi Arabia, sexually harassed and abused the woman in their home. She also worked from Monday to Sunday, including public holidays. However, they did not pay her enough money. 

The migrant worker was employed by the family in 2019. She revealed that from 2020 to 2021, she has been called by the wife to her bedroom on various occasions when her husband and other children were not home. The wife forced the migrant worker to massage her genitals with olive oil. She also revealed that she was sexually harassed by other members of the family. The husband and one of their sons also sexually abused her.

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The domestic worker from Zimbabwe was dismissed on 24 August 2022 when the family said they are going back to their country.

The union has revealed that local and foreign employers take advantage of especially migrant labourers. They tend to exploit vulnerable people. 

The Union took steps to provide justice to the worker. They sought justice and legal recourse for the domestic worker in the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) for the unceremonious dismissal of the worker, and the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the sexual abuse of the worker. 

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) also demanded justice for her. The union reportedly said, “The employers should not be let free, and the husband and wife who employed her must be sentenced to prison.”