What does it take to survive as a domestic worker in South Africa? Reine Opperman walks Gabriel Makin through The Common Sense’s research: 25 income scenarios tested against three cost-of-living scenarios. The finding: on the state-mandated minimum wage of about R30 an hour, even five days a week does not cover a month of rent, food, and transport. The only scenario that balances is living in, rent-free but entirely dependent on your employer. Reine explains why the blame belongs with the state, not with the roughly 860 000 households’ employers.