By Buziwe Nocuze
- Nwabisa Mkhululi, 29, sends R2,000 of her R3,200 salary home every month to feed her two children, mother and three siblings.
- She saves R1,000 monthly for December and stays away all year to avoid spending R750-R900 on transport home.
Nwabisa Mkhululi, a 29-year-old woman from Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape, left home three years ago to find work in Johannesburg.
She found a job as a domestic helper earning R3,200 a month. She lives in her employer’s back room and shares their food.
“I wanted any job as long as it didn’t require me to break the law. The priority was to take care of my family,” said Mkhululi.
From her R3,200 salary, she sends R2,000 home for groceries, saves R1,000 for December, and uses R200 for toiletries.
“My salary is not much, but I make sure we have the basics,” she said.
The R2,000 she sends home buys 25kg of rice, maize meal, 5 liters of cooking oil, 12.5kg of flour, and other essentials.
Her family – two children, her mother, and three siblings – only eats chicken on her payday.
“They understand my situation and that I am trying. On payday, I send money and they buy 2kg of chicken that day only. The rest of the time, they eat tinned food like beans and pilchards with cabbage or spinach,” said Mkhululi.
In her village, people sell spinach for R10 a bunch and cabbage for R12, which helps stretch the money.
The R1,000 she saves each month will give her family a proper Christmas.
“I will also buy clothes for my kids. I decided I will only go home in December because I only have two days off a month, and I am saving money by not paying R750 to R900 for transport from Johannesburg to Lusikisiki,” said Mkhululi.
She last saw her children in December last year.
“There is only one month left before I see them again,” she said.
Her family understands that for now, the money doesn’t allow for red meat, eggs, or Russians.
“I am grateful my family understands. Even my kids know they will get R2 for pocket money, which comes out of the R2,000 I send for groceries. They buy R100 worth of electricity and mostly use fire to cook,” said Mkhululi.
Pictured above: A cleaner cleaning a toilet.
Image source: Pexels
