Farmworker summit to improve living conditions

17 March 2010, Farmer's Weekly
URL: http://www.farmersweekly.co.za/index.php?p[IGcms_nodes][IGcms_nodesUID]=48c48dba4ffda96dd9186a791bbdc9d8

Johannesburg:  Agricultural Unions, the Department  of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, North West provincial departments of Labour and the Human Rights Commission have agreed to work together to improve the lives of farmworkers and dwellers. This agreement was reached during the first provincial farmworkers’ summit held at the Hartbeespoort Dam near Brits in the North West.

The summit resolved to establish a provincial structure for farmworkers and dwellers, expose them to basic education and skills development, advocate for the development of a policy to govern burials on farms, and expand comprehensive healthcare programmes and social services to farms.

A national farmworkers’ summit will be held in May this year. The North West summit hosted over 200 farmworkers and dwellers, who were given a platform to table issues.

Thomas Maselwanyana, representing the National African Farmers’ Union, North West, said the summit was fruitful. “Our biggest limitation is that our membership lacks capacity to organise Adult Basic Education and Training (ABET) and basic skills programmes for their workers.” Another issue was that of inherited farmworkers and dwellers. Farms bought by government for black farmers, often already have farmworkers with security of tenure.

“These workers cause endless problems for the new owners,” Maselwanyana said.

Agri North West executive chairperson Boeta du Toit welcomed the summit’s efforts in improving the farmworkers and dwellers’ living conditions. Du Toit said Agri North West regards the summit as a starting point for establishing a consultative process to ensure profitability and sustainability of the agricultural sector for all involved. He said Agri North West would also like a summit for farmers’ rights where the challenges they face will be discussed.