Most South African cities are still spatially divided, and apart from ‘township tourism’ to trendy restaurants and shebeens, few white South Africans ever venture into areas such as Cato Manor, Langa or Soweto, let alone choose to live there. Even though suburban demographics are slowly changing, domestic workers are often the only black people who cross the threshold into white homes. These go-between figures are generally the only link in cities with de facto segregation.

A significant change that the democratic era brought in is the formal regulation of working conditions of domestic workers. These women know that they have rights and that advice and support is available from SADSAWU and the Black Sash. Also, in terms of section 51 (1) of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act No 75 of 1997, and especially Sectoral Determination 7, which since August 2002 has governed the employment of domestic workers in cities and towns, minimum wages are amended annually, and working hours, leave days and rules for termination are clearly set out. For all this, however, most women have little choice but to stick to their jobs and put up with their working conditions, perhaps suffering varying degrees of harassment, bossiness and paternalism, however benevolent the latter might be. Because employers generally consider their homes to be the only place where they decide how things should be done, many domestic workers are still treated in accordance with centuries-old behaviour patterns which the vast majority of white South Africans internalise from childhood. Labour inspectors may try to enforce the law, but it is practically impossible to know what really goes on behind closed doors and high walls. Despite far less contact time in the many urban households where nowadays a char comes in to do the cleaning work, a close bond with many obligations still exists between employers and these part-time workers, even though they might see each other only once a week.

The question this chapter addresses is the manner and purpose of the portrayal of domestic workers in post-apartheid ‘white writing’. I will zoom in on scenes featured in novels, scenes that may seem insignificant but disclose much about post-apartheid attitudes.