‘Madams’ and Maids Vote Together for First Time With AM-South Africa, Bjt, AM-South

‘Madams’ and Maids Vote Together for First Time With AM-South Africa, Bjt, AM-South Africa-Soweto, Bjt

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (AP) _ For 16 years Eunice Madabedabe worked in the homes of white families, raising their children, running their households, and staying home on election day.

On Wednesday, she went to the polls with her employer, Cindy Menache. They stood together in the shade of eucalyptus trees, waiting with 400 other blacks and whites to vote in South Africa’s first all-race election.

Mrs. Menache, who is worried about crime and the economy, said she didn’t expect much to change after the vote, but said it was an important first step toward democracy.

Miss Madabedabe anticipated ″a new South Africa.″ To her, that means a chance to bring her children from rural Transkei to live with her in the city and get a good education. It means a road, lights, and water for the hut where her children now live with their great-grandmother.

″I don’t think we can appreciate how special this election is as much as black people,″ said Mrs. Menache, a 32-year-old speech therapist. ″I’ve taken my vote for granted in the past.″

Her husband voted early, then babysat the couple’s two children while the women drove together to the polling station in the wealthy Houghton suburb.

″Just for now, I’m happy. I don’t know how long I will be,″ said Miss Madabedabe, 34, waiting in line in her white uniform, white turban and pink sweater.

The relationship between whites and their black domestic servants was a peculiar aspect of South Africa under apartheid. Far from being racially separated, they often lived together under the same roof.

Black women traditionally left their own children with relatives in tribal homelands while they went to the cities to earn money. The children saw their mothers at Christmas and Easter.

White employers trusted their black servants with their most precious possession - their children - but rarely thought of their maids’ families and would never have discussed politics with them.

But in the past few weeks, Mrs. Menache and Miss Madabedabe have chatted regularly about the election, which will give power to South Africa’s black majority for the first time.

″She tells me what she’s seen on her (Xhosa-language) TV program and we compare,″ Mrs. Menache said. ″We discuss the tragedies and the good things.″

Miss Madabedabe said she is treated better by Mrs. Menache than by her previous employers. She earns $140 per month for caring for the children and ″doing everything in the house,″ and every three months she gets a week or two to visit her own children, Audrey, 18, and Oyama, 5, who are being cared for by their great-grandmother.

At their hut in Sterkspruit, in the Xhosa tribal homeland of Transkei, there is no electricity or running water, and sewage is collected once a week in buckets.

″When I leave the children in the country I feel sad, that I have not given enough love,″ Miss Madabedabe said. After the election, she said, she wants to live ″not like we live, not like in a stable.″

What does she want from the new government? ″A road, first of all,″ Miss Madadbedabe said. ″And the lights, the water and the electricity.″

Miss Madabedabe says that after the election, she expects to bring both her children to live with her. Mrs. Menache has reservations.

″They’ll come next month,″ said Miss Madabedabe.

″We’re still discussing it,″ said her employer.