Does the world think that South Africans are lazy?

Question

.

Because South Africans employ household staff?

Do you classify yourself as lazy if you have a household help and/or a gardener ? As one reply to Slipperman´s Question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20080614050225AAgRiJN

"When will people learn to do the work themselves"

No one is irreplaceable, definitely not domestic staff, BUT . . . where would they all be if NO ONE employed them ? ?

What does the world want? MORE unemployed unskilled people committing crimes to "make a living" ? MORE poverty in SA?

Answer 1

Cakes that has been my argument all the time. People here in New Zealand laughed at me coz I had never put petrol in my car before. So I said, well at least I made sure someone had a job.

Imagine cleaning up your popcorn boxes etc after the movies, at least 3 black ladies would not have jobs.. and all those people who pack our shopping into bags?

I insist that we are the best nation because we give jobs to everyone. Here in NZ there is tons of poor people because petrol pump attendants dont exist and you clean up after yourself in at the movies.

Answer 2

I have so many S.A. friends that I work with and they generally work so much harder than everyone else.  I find them to be self-motivated and have such high expectations of themselves and others.

Answer 3

WellI suppose Its put my foot in it time again because the question did occur to me when I realised how much time some of you were spending on here while they were at work, think I'll duck now.

Answer 4

I think there are some lazy people in SA with lots of house/garden help. But they have that in the US too - have you ever watched "REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY"?

Answer 5

I have a domestic worker and a gardener, they both work one day a week for me. People overseas also have gardeners and domestic workers and au pairs, because we see it all the time on TV. I know that if I had to tell my domestic worker and my garderner that I have no need for their services anymore, that will upset them because then they will have to go look for another domestic/ gardener job to make up for the wages they will have lost from me, so I am helping them by employing them and they are helping me too, because my husband is overseas and I have one leg so I can do housework and gardening, but I'm not as good at it as they are.

Answer 6

no the way you think is so mean

Answer 7

I flippin' hope not. We were having a conversation where I work about maids, etc. And this one woman said to me, "I bet you're one of those who throws their stuff on the floor for the maid." B*tch.

Brilliant answer, Emjay.

Answer 8

I dont think it is lazyness, sometimes people have such large properties that they cannot do all the maintence work themselves and work, so they hire other people.

If they're creating jobs then what some people may call lazyness of the rich, can actually be a good thing.

Answer 9

We have big houses in SA/ Zim and usually large families too. My parents have 5 kinds plus themselves. We were never lazy, always picked up behind ourselves and the workers were paid very well and bonuses were always put in place.

I have never been told I was lazy. However, because we had domestic workers we were seen as extremely rich people in the eyes of the Brits. Which is not true we were as I like to call it comfortable.

Answer 10

No, I don't think they are lazy at all. I think they were raised in a time when hired help was the norm rather than a luxury, and they have just chosen to stay in that era. It is a hugely controversial topic, however knowing a couple of SA expats here in Perth I have been educated about their personal experiences. Their house staff all lived on the premises and were fed and clothed as well as receiving a wage to send back to their families. Many of the help had been with the family since they were children themselves, so had been educated along with the Africaan children. Many of the help appreciated feeling safe behind the huge brick walls with the glass on top, as in their own communities there has been a lot of violence and killings.

Obviously there is the other side of the story, and I will never know because I have no access to these house staff.

I wouldn't personally get household help, not even a gardner...but that is because I am capable of doing it myself.

Answer 11

No, not lazy, it just helps if you have a family and you need to work to make ends meat, and in our family they get treated properly, always getting things we don't want or need any more, food and tea, coffee or cool drink, and time off if they need some leave, i don't get meals or something to drink at work unless i take it  -  i think they get a lot for free, well the ones i know about that works in houses or gardens of people i now anyway

Answer 12

YES!!!! I know exactly what you mean!!! I have tried and tried to explain how the situation was but people have even gone as far as to accuse my family of being SLAVERS!!!! When I told them that even BLACK people who are well off have domestics and chars etc they wouldn't believe me.

_______________

I would also like to qualify what I have said with another point. I have met many South Africans who are completely spoilt and have never even used a washing machine, ironed their own shirts or washed their own socks.  These jobs they consider menial and fit only for a "kaffir" or a "klonk", I have heard these sentiments with my own ears....so I would say it depends, some people are LAZY because of their domestics... but as ever, not ALL!

Answer 13

no why would i? anyone in anywhere in the can be lazy or hardworking. it only concerned with each individual not with nationality.

Answer 14

Yes I do. Recently a friend said that she would rather give up personal freedom and live with crime , the high inflation etc etc than move to another country and have to clean her own house!

I was like " What the f***"

Here we have many "little" government jobs. Like at the hospital they have a guy driving this golf cart type car to take the people to and from the hospital to the clinic. It's free and you could walk it but he has a job and he drives you. They have many of these "little" jobs which would be like having a domestic worker.

In SA it is still cheap to have household staff. Here is it very expensive so most people do it themselves.

Answer 15

not all people m some of them r not lazy : ), but most black people r lazy lol

Answer 16

It is cultural and it is caused by cheap labor and lack of jobs.

I find South Africans pretty active, proactive, and hyperactive.

Answer 17

Reminds me of that JOKE (it is a joke people don't get on your high horses)

Do you know that 80% of South Africans are employed in the Iron and Steel Industry...

40% Iron Clothing and the other 40% Steal Anything

Answer 18

do not generalize it may cause disturbance  and feeling apartheism still exists.

Answer 19

Generalizations are SO dangerous! And so very many people in YA in all categories seem to spew out one generalization after another. I find it a tad scary.

Some white people regardless of where they live are lazy. Some white people, regardless of where they live are workaholics. Some situations lean more towards being one way or another, this is true. My neighbour can walk but not well so she has an electric cart. And she is now fat and lazy. The gal across the hall also has an electric cart but uses it sparingly and walks whenever there is nothing to carry. So she is still as fit and trim as someone with her particular condition can be. It has nothing to do with colour or continent.

I have lazy days - like today I wish I had a maid to do my dishes but I don't so I will do them later or maybe even tomorrow. I can get away with that because I live alone.

In S.A. we had a maid and a gardener. They would have been dependent on someone else or they would have had to steal in order to live if we had not had them. I think they should have been educated when Apartheid was on but no one can change the past so we hope that in the present, the maid's kids are getting an education along with the gardener's kids.

Rome was not built in a day and neither will S.A. become the jewel of the continent in a day but this is what I would hope for.

I think that there are some people outside of S.A. or even outside Africa as a whole, who cannot hire maids etc due to the cost over here and are just showing a little bit of jealousy maybe. Maids over here would cost a good deal more to hire because their living costs are so much higher.

cakes - there is a huge lack of logic and little or no research  in what some people with a little bit of knowledge spew out.

Answer 20

Maybe they could be employed doing other, more constructive jobs like construction... you know, helping to build a strong infrastructure?  Maybe more training programs with decent incentives could be enacted to help turn the unskilled workers into skilled workers with good paying jobs that also allow them to keep a little dignity... but no, I don't think South Africans are any lazier than Americans who do the same thing with illegal immigrants under table for peanut wages.  But I do personally believe in taking care of your own property, if nothing else out of personal pride and knowing your everything that goes on in your home.  And the way you pointed out that "domestic staff" (sounds like livestock, huh?) are DEFINATELY not irreplaceable, does make it sound like you have a little bit of disdain for your subjects, lol.  But, if they choose to do that for a living, and you choose to throw away money by hiring them to do a simple task, then so be it.  So long as no one is being mistreated, underpaid (they need to be paid enough to make a decent living, especially if they have children) then it's your business what you do.

Hey, you're the one who said "no one's irreplaceable, especially not domestic staff".  I'm the one who said you can do what you want with your money so long as they're treated fairly.  Although, I've worked at jobs myself that provided such luxuries as snacks, tea, juice, soda, and clothes to work in... it was at McDonalds when I was 16.  It was horrible, degrading work being treated like a servant in a cutsie little uniform.  And yes, domestic does make them sound like your tamed livestock.  But no word for servant can really be called dignified.  But, just like I told you earlier, if you pay them well and they don't mind, then who cares if people think you're lazy?  But should South Africa ever become a better place for those who live in poverty and more opportunities open up for them, I have a feeling those people who are so happy to wash your dishes and trim your hedges will most likely slip off like a thief in the night to grab onto a good opportunity.  That's human nature.  I wasn't picking a fight, but apparently something I said struck a chord... if you feel guilty about it, just do it yourself.  They're not monkeys, they're not all a bunch of criminals.  I'm sure they can find other jobs.  If not, then maybe the people with money in South Africa should invest a little into improving the living conditions for it's people.  Maybe then, my American government wouldn't constantly have to send so much aid to the region.  Just my oppinion, I guess I could be wrong.

Hmmm... strange how this question has so many stars compared to other deep questions I've seen.  I smell a rich-lady's hug-box in affect.  You seem to have quite a high regard for yourself, as if it weren't for you and those like you "gracing" the poor little monkey-people with your presence and money, that they're too ignorant to function in society without you.  That's what people have a problem with, not the fact that you employ people to work around your house.  But don't act like you're doing it as a favor to poor Africans, because you're not.  If you are really concerned about the crime and such, spend your money to help build them a decent community, with education and more options other than being a servant or field-hand.  Maybe some of those criminals would rather rob you than be treated like your servant.  Even the po' folk have a sense of dignity.  And most normal people who work for a living and fend for themselves don't think "South Africans" are any lazier than the pompous asses who take advantage of Mexican labor or anything else.  If I remember history correctly (I'm American, but I do know a little of the outside world) most of the poverty and problems started in South Africa after the Europeans brought their prejudiced views and caste society to the region.  Kennedy said every society has the criminals it deserves... just a thought.  And if this response offends you, don't just thumbs down it.  Give a response to back it up.

Answer 21

yeah they're fat and lazy

Answer 22

Not lazy, but lay'd back and able to delegate.

If you are English or American and you have servants you are successful, if you are an Arab you are wealthy, but if you are South African you are lazy, talk about your double standards.

Answer 23

Just because you have household staff doesn't make you lazy. I am Afrikaans and the reason for most people to have household staff is just becuase they have jobs themselves and the can't manage to clean/garden/cook/take care of kids and work all by themselves, so they do need some one else to help them get the load off their back. Also if no-one employed people willing to do this then those people wont be able to earn a salary to help their own families.

Some house hold helpers do commit crimes, but not all of them, people mainly see what is on the news and that rarely shows the good side of the country.

Answer 24

Hey cakes, hehe (:

Hardly. I don't think they are lazy and I'm so sorry for Slipperman's loss.

When I was in SA, our house never get attacked. Even though our security staff wasn't the best. Our old aged maid (who also cook) was a very sweet person. Me & my siblings loved her so much (: and we had a French maid who came South Africa with us and she was lazier than the maid (: