On 19 October and 2 November 2024, SERI participated in domestic worker advocacy sessions hosted by the Department of Employment and Labour’s Compensation Fund. The advocacy sessions were held in East London and Bloemfontein, respectively. They aimed to educate and empower domestic workers about their rights and responsibilities under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COID) Act 10 of 2022, and to familiarise them with the COIDA claim process.
SERI's Grace Gomba and Yongeza Mbimbi attended the advocacy session in East London where they had the opportunity to engage approximately 300 domestic workers and trade union members present about SERI's work with domestic workers and share relevant SERI material with them. SERI distributed COIDA factsheets and domestic worker rights guides entitled, Domestic Worker: a Legal and Practical Guide.
SERI’s Candidate Attorney Grace Gomba delivered a message of support, in which she reflected on the significance of the Mahlangu v The Minister of Labour Constitutional Court judgment, and the subsequent inclusion of domestic workers under COIDA. Gomba emphasized the important role played by the various stakeholders including government, domestic worker employers, and domestic workers unions, in working together to ensure that domestic workers are protected and are registered for COIDA. Lastly, Gomba lamented the low numbers of COIDA claims that have been processed even though claims can be made retrospectively.
Gomba spoke alongside several other people including Ms. Nobuko Ngaki (the Acting Chief Director of Provincial Operations); Dr B Dunga (the Director of COID Services Eastern Cape); Mr J Soupen (the Chief Director COID Services) who delivered a keynote address. The Commission for Mediation, Conciliation, and Arbitration (CCMA), the Federation of Unions of South Africa (FEDUSA), the South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU), and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) were also represented and also shared messages of solidarity.
At the advocacy session in Bloemfontein, SERI was represented by Thando George and Cheriese Dilrajh who also had the opportunity to engage approximately 250 domestic workers and trade union members who attended the event. They also shared COIDA factsheets and domestic worker rights guides.
SERI Candidate Attorney Thando George delivered a message of support in which she discussed the Mahlangu case and its implications for domestic workers, SERI's work in support of domestic workers, and the importance of domestic workers' accessing their constitutional rights. The audience then had the opportunity to engage and ask questions. The CCMA, FEDUSA, SAFTU and COSATU also shared messages of solidarity for domestic workers.