“My name is Ciella Barends, I live at Witdraai, I am 68 years old.”
Ciella briefly shares her story and experience as domestic worker.
She was a young woman when she started working with her parents on farms. She was very happy to help her parents and family because the farmer’s wife taught her how to sew and to read and she also learned about the animals, how to give milk to the sheep, and so on. She also mentioned the old lady (Nooi) was nice but she was full of fear for the boss (Baas).
She said money was an issue because she didn’t see it, her parents got it. Only when she got married was she paid directly. She said that she was then moved with her husband to a farm called Kleitjiesskeur, where she lived in fear, because during the day her husband was away with the “baas” and she was alone at the “plot”.
Her husband was given 500 rand per month. She said this was good, because they were young and accepted it. It was just work to make a living from.
Hi my name is Andre Vaalbooi, a member of the #Khomani San community. I am staying in the Kalahari in the Northern Cape close to Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, and I am one of the Satellite Pioneers.
