The Hidden Cost of South Africa’s Remote Work Boom

If you look around right now, you’ll notice a trend that has quietly become the norm in South Africa: highly skilled South Africans working for companies based in Europe, the US and Australia.

And honestly, it makes perfect sense why. South Africans are incredibly educated, hardworking and resilient. And thanks to our weak rand, we’re also far more “affordable” hires than someone overseas.

Pair that with the remote-work revolution that took off after Covid, and suddenly the world opened up. You didn’t need a work visa. You didn’t need to relocate. You just needed a laptop, stable Wi-Fi and a willingness to figure out the time zone maths. It felt like opportunity finally had no borders.

But as with anything that looks too good on paper, the reality can be more complicated.

When the world becomes your workplace (and your risk)

I spent a short period working remotely for an Australian company. From the outside, it seemed like the dream: international exposure, better pay and flexibility. But what people don’t talk about is the pressure.

Working remotely, especially across borders, often comes with this unspoken expectation to constantly prove your worth. When no one sees your day-to-day effort, you feel like you need to earn your seat at the virtual table. Every. Single. Day.

Three weeks after I told them I was pregnant, my contract was terminated with immediate effect.

Just like that.

No conversation. No support. No real recourse. And suddenly, I was financially exposed in a way I’d never imagined.

The truth is, these companies cannot hire South Africans as permanent employees. We’re contractors, which means we don’t enjoy the same protections we’re used to under South African labour law. Your “job security” is only as solid as the piece of paper you signed, and sometimes not even that.

I did take the CCMA route, and navigating a case against a company that isn’t registered here? It’s daunting. You feel like you’re swinging at smoke. And yet, stories like mine aren’t rare. They just aren’t spoken about out loud.

A new middleman economy

What’s emerged to fill this gap is a growing number of local entities that employ South Africans full-time but place them with overseas clients. I won’t name them here, but they are everywhere now.

In many ways, they’ve become a safety net: you get local protections, a proper employment contract and fewer of the “here today, gone tomorrow” risks of being a solo contractor.

It’s not a perfect system but it’s certainly safer.

Remote work isn’t for everyone (and that’s okay)

Beyond the legalities, I learned something else about myself: the remote-work lifestyle simply doesn’t suit my personality.

I’m hands-on. I like being seen. Not in an attention-seeking way, but in the sense that hard work should be visible and rewarded. In a traditional corporate setting, that visibility can translate into promotions, recognition and growth. In remote setups, especially cross-border ones, it’s very easy to become invisible.

I also thrive in environments where I can brainstorm with real humans sitting around a table. There’s a certain energy in creative spaces that you just can’t replicate over Zoom. And then there’s the mental switch that comes with physically “going to work”. When I’m in the office, I’m fully in work mode. When I’m home, I can switch off and prioritise my family.

Working from home blurred those lines. It created this constant sense of urgency, like I needed to prove I wasn’t slacking off. In the long run, that anxiety took a bigger toll than the commute ever did.

Choosing what works for you

Remote work can be amazing for the right personality and, for many South Africans, it’s a lifeline: a chance to earn well and gain global experience without leaving home. But the flip side is real too: the lack of protection, the instability, the emotional pressure and, in some cases, the exploitation.

And that’s the conversation we need to have more openly.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about where you work. It’s about how your work impacts your wellbeing, your stability and your future.

For me, the lesson was clear: opportunity shouldn’t come at the cost of security or sanity. And sometimes, the “old-fashioned” office environment offers something remote work never can – a sense of belonging, purpose and balance.