03 December 2002
In welcoming the sectoral determination for farm-workers, the South African Communist Party (SACP) congratulates Minister of Labour, Comrade Membathisi Mdladlana for his consistent stance to address the conditions of marginalised workers. The SACP specifically welcomes the provision that there will be no exemptions under this determination as this would have entrenched a multi-tier labour market in the agricultural industry. The SACP calls on the Department of Labour to invest substantial resources to ensure the effective enforcement and compliance with announced by the. The SACP calls on the agricultural industry not to oppose this progress.
More than 60% of the African population in South Africa is to be found in the countryside which includes largely white-owned medium and large farms, employing mainly African (but also large numbers of Coloured) workers who are still subjected to some of the most ruthless and primitive forms of labour-tenancy. The majority of farm workers are still working under some of the worst forms of exploitation - low wages, high rates of casual and seasonal labour, little income and job security, appalling living conditions - and face regular racist violence and abuse in many cases. In fact, that South Africa’s workers have achieved a basic floor of workers’ rights since 1994 is only a news story to many farm-workers.
In our view, the sectoral determination will regularise and enforce better working conditions for farm-workers. This needs to be consolidated with the discussion and adoption of a single minimum wage for all farm-workers.
The SACP is pleased that the minimum annual increases stipulated in the determination must be higher than inflation. Linked to the increased regulation and capping of in-kind payments (for food and accommodation) and regulation of accommodation conditions, this will go a long way to increase the effective income of farm-workers.
However, the SACP is concerned that the determination does not decisively deal with working hours. The SACP also opposes child labour and believes that the provision for children between 15 and 18 to work up to a maximum of 35 hours must be addressed.
Finally, the SACP calls on COSATU and SAAPAWU to intensify efforts to organise farm-workers into trade unions as this is the key to changing South Africa’s countryside.
CONTACT
Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information & Publicity
South African Communist Party
Tel - 011 339-3621/2, Fax – 011 339-4244; Cell - 083 651 0271
Email - mazibuko@sacp.org.za