1

SELECT COMMITTEE LAND AND ENVIRONMETAL SELECT COMMITTEE LAND AND ENVIRONMETAL AFFAIRSAFFAIRS

LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF FARM WORKERS LIVING AND WORKING CONDITIONS OF FARM WORKERS SPECIFICALLY IN WESTERN CAPE, FREE STATE AND MPUMALANGASPECIFICALLY IN WESTERN CAPE, FREE STATE AND MPUMALANGA

PRESENTATION COMPILED AND PRESENTED BY

Mokutule J KgobokoeChief Director: Sector Capacity DevelopmentDepartment of Agriculture, Forestry and FisheriesPretoria Tel: 012 319 7028Fax: 012 319 6869Email: DETES@daff.gov.za

BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW

2

SOUTH AFRICA

Ripe with AbuseHuman Rights Conditions in South Africa’s Fruit and Wine Industries

HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH

3

Every year, millions of consumers around the world enjoy South African fruits and the renowned wines that come from its vineyards. Yet the farm workers who produce these goods for domestic consumption and international export are among the most vulnerable people in South African society: working long hours in harsh weather conditions, often without access to toilets or drinking water, they are exposed to toxic pesticides that are sprayed on crops.

For this physically gruelling work, they earn among the lowest wages in South Africa, and are often denied benefits to which they are legally entitled. Many farm workers confront obstacles to union formation, which remains at negligible levels in the Western Cape agricultural sector. Farm workers and others who live on farms often have insecure land tenure rights, rendering them and their families vulnerable to evictions or displacement—in some cases, from the land on which they were born.

4

Farm workers in Stellenbosch collect grapes during harvest time.

5

6

A resident of Stofland township returns home.

7

JULY 2010 NATIONAL VULNERABLE

WORKERS SUMMIT

Almost 2 000 farm workers representing all 09 Provinces

8

JULY 2010 NATIONAL

SUMMIT

WORKING

CONDITION

SECURITY OF TENURESOCIAL

DETERMINATION

OF HEALTH

TRAINING AND

EMPOWERMENT

9

RESOLUTIONS OF THE NATIONAL SUMMIT ON VULNERABLE WORKERS IN AGRICULTURE,

FORESTRY AND FISHERIES

“Towards a better life for vulnerable workers on farms and in forestry and fisheries”

10

11

NATIONAL LEVEL:NATIONAL LEVEL:

12

SECTORAL DETERMINATION FOR MINIMUM

WAGE

NEW R105-00

OLDR69-39