“Meids” and “Medems”
Source 1
Many wealthier South African families employ domestic workers and so many South African women work as domestic workers. This job is unique in that the employee works within her employer’s living space and is privy to the employer’s private life, intimate relations and personal things. Domestic workers are often considered ‘part of the family’ and are included in family occasions such as birthday parties and even, in some cases, holiday trips. However, the domestic workers role at these functions is almost always, not as a guest, as the actual family and friends are, but as a cleaner. While some employers treat their domestic employee with respect and appreciation many continue to take advantage of the privacy their home provides to mistreat their employee. This was all the more prevalent during apartheid when many white employers viewed their domestic worker or “meid” [maid] as inferior to them because she was black.
