35 farmworkers injured when the truck they were travelling in overturned on the R45 Road near Klapmuts

Thirty-five farmworkers were injured when the truck they were travelling in overturned on the R45 Road near Klapmuts, on Monday. The last accident of this nature occurred near Worcester in January last year which took the lives of three farmworkers.

Cosatu Western Cape says its shocked by the latest incident and has called on the Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi, to ban the transportation of farmworkers on trucks.

‘’Government and Farm Owners has done nothing to protect the vulnerable farmworkers who must travel every day in these dangerous conditions. How many people must die before the Farmers, Provincial and National Government is going to intervene to ensure that farmworkers are treated as human beings and being transported in safe modes of transport,’’ said COSATU’s Provincial Secretary, Malvern De Bruyn.

‘’Cosatu is calling on the Minister of Employment and Labour to ban the transportation of farmworkers on trucks. We are also calling on the Law Enforcement Agencies to thoroughly investigate this matter to ensure that justice be served. Cosatu is also calling on the Farm Owner to look after the families of the injured farm workers and that they be paid in full while at home due to injuries sustained in the accident,’’ he added.

De Bruyn has also called on the South African Human Rights Commission to investigate this matter.

‘’We are of the view that the rights of the farmworkers have been infringed. Cosatu will be monitoring the situation closely and the matter will be discussed at our next PEC Meeting and Alliance Meeting respectively to discuss a campaign against these irresponsible farmworkers and Government including the Provincial Government.

‘’We will also explore the option of engaging our lawyers to investigate the possibility of instituting civil claims on behalf of the farmworkers,’’ added De Bruyn.

 

Done by: Mitchum George