South African Domestic Service and Allied Workers Union

History

SADSAWU was founded in 2000 by Myrtle Witbooi, a long time domestic worker advocate, and Hester Stephens, who is still a full-time domestic worker herself. Based out of the Salt River Community House in Cape Town, SADSAWU provides valuable services to South African domestic workers such as job training and workshops, legal advocacy, mediation, and counseling concerning domestic workers’ rights and legal provisions. SADSAWU provides information in support of both domestic workers and employers and endeavors to strengthen the relationship between them. SADSAWU’s role is to empower domestic workers and enlighten employers. More importantly, however, SADSAWU is hard at work rectifying a racialized and gendered profession whose contribution to the national and global economy remains invisible.