Do I have to register my nanny for UIF?

Yes, if she works for you more than 24 hours a month, which almost every nanny does. As the employer you register with the Unemployment Insurance Fund, usually online through uFiling on the Department of Employment and Labour’s website, and then declare and pay contributions every month. Contributions are shared: a percentage is deducted from her pay and you add the same amount. UIF is what pays her if she loses her job, goes on maternity leave or falls ill for a long period, so skipping it leaves her without that protection and leaves you in breach of the law.

How much should I pay a nanny in South Africa?

A nanny employed by a household is a domestic worker, and domestic workers are entitled to at least the national minimum wage per hour. That rate is reviewed every year and usually changes from 1 March, so check the current figure with the Department of Employment and Labour rather than relying on an old article. Above the minimum, pay depends on the hours, the number and ages of the children, whether she lives in, whether she drives the children, her experience and first aid training, and extra duties such as cooking or housework. Agree the amount, the pay day and any overtime rate in writing.

Can I ask a nanny for a police clearance certificate?

You can ask, and for someone who will be alone with your children it is a reasonable request. The candidate applies for the certificate herself at a police station, with fingerprints and her ID document, and it takes some weeks, so ask early. Tell her in advance why you want it and what you will do with it, and keep it private: under POPIA, personal information you collect for hiring must be used only for that purpose and stored safely. Combine it with phoned references, because a clear certificate only tells you about recorded convictions.

What must a nanny employment contract include?

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act and Sectoral Determination 7 for domestic workers require written particulars of employment. In practice that means: both names and addresses, her job title and duties, the start date, ordinary working hours and days, pay per hour or month and when it is paid, overtime and Sunday or public holiday rates, any deductions, leave, the notice period and, for a live-in nanny, the accommodation arrangement. Both of you sign and keep a copy. Update it in writing whenever duties or hours change, for example when a new baby arrives.

Is an au pair the same as a nanny?

Not in how people use the words, but in law the label matters less than the arrangement. If someone works in your home looking after your children and you pay them, they are very likely your employee and a domestic worker, whatever you call them. Au pair usually means a younger person, often a student, working limited hours and sometimes living in; nanny usually means a full-time, experienced childminder. Either way the minimum wage, UIF, written particulars and the rules on hours and leave apply. Calling someone an au pair does not make them a volunteer.

Where can I find a nanny near me?

Ask friends, neighbours, your crèche or school, and your place of worship for recommendations first; a nanny who has worked for a family you know is easier to check. You can also post a free job on Hirovo describing the children, the hours, the area and what you need. People nearby can apply or message you in the app, and you decide who to interview. Hirovo is new in South Africa and does not vet applicants or check references, so every check in this guide remains yours to make before anyone starts.

How to Hire a Nanny in South Africa: Checks, Contract, UIF and Your Duties as an Employer

Hiring a nanny is one of the biggest decisions a South African family makes. You are trusting someone with your children, and at the same time you become an employer, with duties under labour law that many households only discover when something goes wrong. Knowing how to hire a nanny in South Africa comes down to two jobs done properly: choosing the right person, and setting up the employment correctly from the first day.

This guide covers both. It starts with deciding what kind of help you need, then how to find and interview candidates, the checks worth making, the written contract, UIF and COIDA, hours, leave and pay, and how to end the arrangement fairly if it does not work out. For the general rules that apply to anyone working in your home, see also how to hire a domestic worker in South Africa.

Decide what kind of nanny you need

Before you write an advert, be honest about the job. “Nanny” covers very different arrangements, and a clear picture helps you attract the right people and set a fair wage.

Whatever the label, a person you pay to look after your children in your home is normally your employee.
Arrangement	Typical set-up	Points to settle
Full-time live-out nanny	Weekdays, often from early morning until a parent gets home.	Travel time and transport home, especially after dark; overtime if you run late.
Live-in nanny	Lives in a room on your property; works set hours, not all hours.	Her room must be reasonable and private; free time must really be free; accommodation terms in writing.
Part-time or after-school nanny	School lifts, homework, afternoons until parents return.	Driving licence and whose car; safe car seats; what happens in school holidays.
Nanny-housekeeper	Childcare plus cleaning, laundry or cooking.	Be realistic: a baby and a full clean in one day is two jobs. List every duty.
Occasional babysitter	Evenings or weekends, a few hours at a time.	Rules on hours and pay still apply; below 24 hours a month UIF does not.

Write down the hours, the days, the ages of the children, any special needs, whether driving is part of the job and which household tasks you expect. That list becomes both your advert and, later, the duties section of the contract.

Where to find a nanny in South Africa

Most families still find a nanny through someone they know: a friend whose children have started school, a neighbour, the crèche, the school’s parent group or a place of worship. A recommendation from a family you can actually speak to is worth a great deal, because you can ask them directly how the nanny handled a sick child, a tantrum or a late parent.

Nanny placement agencies are another route. If you use one, ask in writing what they check and what they do not, what the fee covers, and whether the nanny will be employed by you or by the agency. That last point changes who is responsible for UIF, leave and pay.

You can also post the job yourself and speak to several candidates. Whichever route you use, the checks below remain yours: nobody else will do them as carefully as a parent.

How to interview a nanny

Hold the first conversation by phone or video, then invite two or three people to meet you at home. Ask open questions and listen for real examples rather than promises.

Experience: which ages she has cared for, for how long, and why each job ended.
Daily routine: how she would plan a day for your child, including meals, naps, play and screen time.
Emergencies: what she would do if a child choked, had a fever or had a fall; whether she has done a first aid course.
Discipline: how she handles tantrums and sibling fights. Make your own rules clear, including that physical punishment is not acceptable.
Practical matters: how she will get to work, whether load shedding or taxi strikes have affected her before, and what she would do if she could not get in.
Her expectations: hours, pay, leave and anything she needs from you.

A paid trial day with a parent at home is a sensible next step. Watch how she speaks to the children and how they respond to her. Pay her for the day; a trial is work.

Looking for a nanny near you?

Post a free job on Hirovo: the ages of your children, the hours, the area and what the job includes. People nearby can apply or message you, and you choose who to interview.

Post a free job →

The checks before you hire a nanny

Identity and the right to work

Ask to see her ID document, or her passport and permit if she is not a South African citizen, and check that the name matches the one she gave you. A foreign national needs a permit that allows her to work; employing someone who is not allowed to work in South Africa is an offence under the Immigration Act. If you are unsure what a permit allows, ask the Department of Home Affairs.

References you actually phone

Written references are easy to write. Phone at least two previous employers, ideally families with children, and ask specific questions: dates, duties, reliability, how she handled a difficult moment and whether they would employ her again. Hesitation or vague answers tell you something too.

Police clearance and the child protection registers

Many families ask a shortlisted nanny for a police clearance certificate. She applies for it herself at a police station with her fingerprints and ID, and it takes some weeks, so raise it early and explain why. Organisations that work with children must check the National Child Protection Register under the Children’s Act; if you want to know whether and how a private household can request such a check, ask the Department of Social Development. A clear record is reassuring, but it does not replace references and your own judgement.

Driving, if the job includes lifts

If she will drive the children, check her driving licence card is valid and the right code for the vehicle, drive with her before she does it alone, check that your car insurance covers her as a driver, and insist on proper car seats. Agree in writing who pays for fuel and what happens after a fine or an accident.

Everything you collect, from ID copies to a police clearance, is personal information under POPIA. Tell candidates what you are collecting and why, keep it secure, and do not keep the documents of people you did not hire longer than you need to.

Your duties as a nanny’s employer

A nanny employed by a household is a domestic worker. Sectoral Determination 7 (domestic workers), the Basic Conditions of Employment Act and the National Minimum Wage Act set the floor. The table summarises the main duties; check the details with the Department of Employment and Labour, which publishes guides for domestic employers.

Summary only. Rules and amounts change, so confirm the current position with the Department of Employment and Labour.
Duty	What it means in practice
Written particulars of employment	A signed document setting out duties, hours, pay, leave and notice. Give her a copy.
Minimum wage	Pay at least the national minimum wage per hour. It is reviewed every year, usually from 1 March.
Payslip	A written record each pay day of the hours, pay and any deductions such as UIF.
UIF	Register and pay monthly if she works more than 24 hours a month for you; register online via uFiling.
COIDA	Domestic workers have been covered by compensation for injuries at work since the Constitutional Court’s Mahlangu judgment in 2020. Register with the Compensation Fund.
Working hours	Limits on ordinary hours per day and week, meal breaks, and higher rates for overtime, Sundays and public holidays.
Leave	Annual leave, sick leave, family responsibility leave, and maternity and parental leave (unpaid by you, but UIF can pay benefits).
Notice	Proper notice to end the employment, longer once she has worked for you more than six months.

Two points catch families out. First, UIF applies even to a part-time nanny once she works more than 24 hours in a month, which a few afternoons a week easily reaches. Second, overtime is not something you can build into a flat salary and forget: if you regularly come home late, either adjust the agreed hours and pay or pay the overtime.

Live-in nannies

A live-in nanny is not on duty around the clock. Agree her working hours, her time off and what happens at night if a child wakes. Her room should be safe, weatherproof, private and lockable, with access to a toilet and bathroom. If you deduct anything for accommodation, the rules on what may be deducted are strict, so check them before you write it into the contract.

If there is a dispute

Most problems can be sorted out by talking early and keeping everything in writing. If a dispute about dismissal or unfair treatment cannot be resolved, it can be referred to the CCMA, which deals with domestic workers as it does with any other employee. A fair process, a written warning before a dismissal for poor performance, and honest records protect both of you.

What sets a nanny’s pay

The national minimum wage is the floor, not the going rate. Above it, what you offer depends on:

Hours and days, including early starts and late finishes.
The number and ages of the children; a newborn and twins are a different job from one school-age child.
Live-in or live-out, and transport costs for a live-out nanny.
Driving the children, and whose car.
Extra duties such as cooking, laundry or cleaning.
Experience and training, for example a first aid course or early childhood development training.
Where you live; pay expectations differ between, say, Sandton, Durban North and a smaller town.

Put the agreed amount, the pay day, how you will pay (a bank transfer leaves a record) and any annual increase in writing.

Posting a nanny job on Hirovo

Hirovo lets you post a job for free. People nearby who look after children can see it, apply and message you in the app, and you read the replies and decide who to meet. Hirovo is new in South Africa, so the number of replies depends on your area.

Be clear about what Hirovo is and is not. It does not vet applicants, check IDs, references or police clearance, or act as an agency or the employer. You are the employer, and every check and duty in this guide is yours. In the post, describe the children’s ages, the hours, the duties and the suburb, but not your street address or the children’s names; share details by message once you have chosen someone to meet. For help with the wording, see how to write a job post.

Before your nanny starts: her ID or permit checked; two references phoned; a police clearance requested if you want one; a paid trial day done; written particulars of employment signed by both of you; UIF and the Compensation Fund registration in hand; pay day, overtime and leave agreed in writing; emergency numbers and your children’s medical details left where she can find them.

In short

Decide exactly what the job is, find candidates through people you trust or a clear post, interview for real examples, phone the references and do a paid trial day. Then set it up properly: a nanny is a domestic worker, so you owe her at least the national minimum wage, written particulars, a payslip, UIF, COIDA cover, fair hours and leave. Get those right from day one and you protect your children, your nanny and yourself.