The Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development together with organised labour, farm workers' unions, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and affected church based organisations (CBOs), convened a provincial Farm Workers Summit on 29 and 30 April 2010 at the Thorn Bush Inn in Ashburton, outside Pietermaritzburg.
The summit was held in preparation for the national summit to be convened by Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) later this year (2010). The summit was attended by 300 delegates, who were farm workers, farm owners and labour unions like; Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), National African Farmers Union of South Africa (NAFU), KwaZulu-Natal Agricultural Union (KWANALU), association for Rural Advancement (AFRA), Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) and other government departments.
Theme: "Towards a better life for vulnerable workers on farms"
Delegates delved on a myriad of challenges that farm workers grapple with daily despite the existence of laws to protect them. Issues ranged from protection of their human rights, lack of access to government services like houses, electricity, clinics and issues of safety.
Farm workers sighted anecdotal experiences of their suffering at the hands of farm owners who they allege to have little or no regard for their well being. Some sighted painful incidents of injury on duty without any form of compensation by farm owners.
A 20 year old male on a wheel chair, Xolani Zwane from Normandien in Danhauser, shed tears when he related his ordeal of how he lost his leg on a farm. Another farm worker from Mondi farm in Dumbe, Amos Hadebe lost sight of his left eye and still has the bullet on his head after being shot at by a farmer during an attack where they took all his livestock, 99 cows and 135 goats.
They also decried the government for not protecting them and urged for their plights to be prioritised in order for them to regain their dignity. MEC for Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development Mrs L Johnson agreed that government has been slow on implementation but reiterated governments commitment to addressing farm workers issues.
She said the government is creating platforms through these summits to give farm workers themselves a stronger voice and make them part of finding solutions to their problems.
Delegates broke into five commissions, to create an opportunity to raise and deliberate on their plight. During these commissions, delegates narrated sad experience including but not limited to:
* Farm workers and dwellers are yet to benefit from the new democratic dispensation
* Farm workers do not have land; this makes them to depend on farm owners with exception to few good farmers who treat their employees with dignity
* Cases of abuse, destruction of houses and stock theft, evictions reported by farmers do not receive a fair hearing
* Clinics are prevented by farm owners, from supporting workers
* Children are not able to go to attend school beyond standard two, because there are not further classes. This makes it difficult for them to advance themselves educationally.
The KwaZulu-Natal Farm Workers summit resolutions are as follows
In recognition of the hardships of the workers, and their concerns regarding lack of implementation of recommendations made at previous forums, the summit declared:
* The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government will consolidate a comprehensive programme, while recognising existing structures, to address all issues raised in the summit in line with five key provincial priorities
* The provincial government will be implementing short term intervention programmes even before the national summit is held
* Based on the outcomes of the national summit, the provincial government will develop a long term intervention programme
* The provincial government will ensure compliance and adherence to the existing legislation in order to protect the rights and improve the quality of life of farm workers and for all
* The government will ensure consultation, involvement and democratic participation of all structures representing farm workers and farm owners, towards addressing the challenges that exist.
Way forward
The resolutions taken at this summit will form part of the national summit which is expected to take place in place in July 2010.
For all your queries contact:
Ncumisa Mafunda
Tel: 033 343 8063
Cell: 079 515 7187
Fax: 033 343 8255
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development
30 April 2010
Source: Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs and Rural Development (http://agriculture.kzntl.gov.za/)
