DOMESTIC workers in the Durban North area were recently invited to attend an empowerment workshop at the Durban North Police Station.
The aim of the workshop, run by the Durban North/Umhlanga Crisis Team in conjunction with the SAPS and the Midrand Graduate Institute (MGI), was not only to empower the women in their work environments but also within their communities and home life.
Carol Van Tonder, of the Crisis Team, spoke to the ladies about protection orders and what to do during a home robbery.”We explained to them why it is safer to comply with the criminal’s demands than to fight back, how to safely deal with an intruder and how not to interfere with a crime scene,” she said.
Another important topic covered in the workshop was ‘dealing with conflict.’ Nompumelelo Ngubane, a fourth-year student at MGI, said they taught the women how to communicate with their employers. “Without knowledge many of these women are taken advantage of. We educated them on their legal rights and where to turn when they are being extorted or unfairly dismissed,” she explained.
Domestic violence and substance abuse were also discussed at the programme. Fellow student, Nosipho Gumede, explained that these were issues that domestic workers often encountered in their communities. “In rural communities people turn a blind eye to these issues as they believe it is not their problem. But we explained to them that it is actually their duty to report them,” she said.
According to Gumede, the hope is that the women will share their knowledge with their communities.
Thandi Dludla, who attended the first workshop, said she not only felt empowered to communicate more effectively with her employer, but also received some helpful information on dealing with the major drug problem within her community.
