Premier wants to bring the army in to keep the peace in rural areas
Imogen Vollenhoven
28 November 2012
Her request
followed Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant's announcement on Tuesday that the
December 4 deadline to review the agricultural sectoral determination would not
be met.
Oliphant said the Basic
Conditions of Employment Act allowed a review of the determination only 12
months after promulgation.
The latest sectoral determination was put in place in March.
Sixteen
Western
Cape
towns were hit by violent protests this month over farming wages and working
conditions. Two people died and there was extensive damage to property.
The protests started with table grape harvesters in De Doorns, who were calling for wages of R150 a day.
28 November 2012
Defence Minister
Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula must send the army to Western Cape rural areas
to prevent farmworker violence, provincial Premier Helen Zille said on
Wednesday.
She said the army
was needed to keep the peace and to prevent workers from becoming violent.
The latest sectoral determination was put in place in March.
Sixteen
The protests started with table grape harvesters in De Doorns, who were calling for wages of R150 a day.
Most earn between R69 and R75 a day.
Workers agreed to suspend their strike until December 4 on condition that the employment condition commission look at the sectoral determination for agriculture.
Representatives of both sides have been in negotiations since the strike was suspended.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions in theWestern Cape accused Oliphant of undermining these
negotiations with her announcement and said the news could renew strikes.
Workers agreed to suspend their strike until December 4 on condition that the employment condition commission look at the sectoral determination for agriculture.
Representatives of both sides have been in negotiations since the strike was suspended.
The Congress of SA Trade Unions in the
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