Labour brokers the cause of tensions in De Doorns

By Ofentse Mokae
26 November 2009

Labour minister Membathisi Mdladlana says the major contributor for tensions at the De Doorns in the Western Cape is the use of labour brokers in the agricultural sector.

Mdladlana was briefing the media at parliament yesterday amid tension between foreign workers and locals.

The local residents claim the Zimbabweans are willing to work for less than the minimum wage, and steal the local community's job opportunities.

Mdladlana said the middleman also refered as brokers provided farmers with workers for a certain commission and also decided their wages with farmers.

He said in some cases the brokers would take a lot of desperate workers to make big money.

Mdladlana added that the practise to pay workers differently was a recipe for disaster.

However he did caution against panting farmers with the same brush as there existed good farmers who abide by the law.