Provincial march against unfair treatment of farm workers

By Celeste Ganga
23 September 2007

The purpose of the march that took place on Saturday in the North West by the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) was to hand over a memorandum of demands to the Department of Land and Agriculture, Safety and Security; and Labour.

“The memorandum that we handed over, deals with issues affecting the poor farm workers, example unfair labour practice, killing of farm workers and their families by wild animals, evictions of farm workers, including victimisation and racism,” says Provincial secretary of COSATU North West, Solly Phetoe.

Even though 5000 workers were expected, only a few workers arrived for the handing over of the memorandum at the Mafikeng Police station.

“We demanding from the department of Safety and Security that all cases that were reported by farm workers, in relation to the assault and killing of farm workers either by farmers or will animals, must be re-opened and re-investigated,” says Phetoe.

Phetoe adds that the two cases where farm workers were killed by lions should be re-opened. They also demand that those who are implicated should be convicted.