Western Cape farm workers and dwellers speak out

The Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union (CSAAWU), the Mawubuye Land Rights Forum, the Trust for Community Outreach and Education, and the Democratic Left Front (DLF) launched the Speak-Out Campaign on the 27 November 2011 at a mass meeting in Robertson (some 2 hours from Cape Town). Farm workers and farm dwellers spoke of the inhumane living and working conditions that they face each day. They do backbreaking work to produce food for everybody yet they are forced to work under unsafe and unhealthy conditions, to drink dirty water, live without electricity, live with threats of evictions, live on poverty wages and to suffer abuse at the hands of the bosses. The Speak-Out Campaign aims to bring an end to the oppression and exploitation of farm workers and farm dwellers by coming together to build solidarity, strength and hope amongst the rural working class.

Since its launch, the Speak-Out Campaign has been attacked by farmers. CSAAWU shop stewards and workers have been dismissed in the Robertson area. A shop steward and worker leader was dismissed at Voorspoed farm for ‘insubordination’, for handing out Speak-Out Campaign fliers. Workers on four farms went on illegal strike action for three days standing in solidarity with their shop steward, making real the slogan ‘an injury to one is an injury to all’. Another shop steward was dismissed at Lamontanara Cheese factory. These are workers who struggle to defend the dignity of workers, who have said enough is enough – workers should have clean water to drink, decent housing, a living wage, they should have that which they need for a decent life. Things can and should be better. The bosses have dismissed them for these things – for standing up and building workers’ organisation. They have been dismissed to intimidate other workers, to try to break CSAAWU and the campaign.

On the 18 December the Speak-Out Campaign held a second meeting in Klaasvoogds, Robertson. Workers once again spoke of health and safety problems – one worker is in hospital as a result of a tractor falling on him. The worker had to wait for hours for the ambulance to come because the farmer refused to take him to hospital. Workers are forced to use the bushes as toilets, jeorpardising their safety. Workers are not provided with transport and there is no public transport in rural areas. Because of this workers are not able to get medical care when they are ill, some have been sexually abused whilst hitchhiking to get medical care. Clean water and electricity remain urgent matters. Workers also spoke of the high deductions that are taken off their wages without explanation, sometimes leaving them with R150 per week. Some farmers have gone on holiday and left workers without money, food and water. These are crimes against workers that get perpetuated each and every day by bosses.

The Speak-Out Campaign has already started putting pressure on farmers, workers are forcing change. On Uitkyk farm, the farmer restored electricity and is in the process of upgrading a workers’ house that was unlivable in. On Vinkrivier farm, upgrading of houses has begun, some transport has been provided and the farmer has agreed that workers can pay for their electricity directly rather than through the farmer, who used to charge them more to make a profit. Sometimes farmers say that they are doing these things as favours to workers and workers must resign from the union if farmers make these undertakings. We say these things are not favours. We are not grateful. Decent housing and water and electricity are basic necessities that each person should have. We say that workers will not be threatened and bribed into leaving the union.

The Speak-Out Campaign is building workers confidence and hope in the possibility of change. One worker said he had been waiting for over 9 years for this, for workers to stand together and demand a better life. Another worker said when he read the CSAAWU leaflet he thought ‘this is it’. Another said that he is struggling not for himself but for his children and his children’s children so that they will not suffer in the same way. At the meeting, workers raised R600 for the two dismissed shop stewards, showing that they could put solidarity into practice.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
• On the 29 January the Speak-Out Campaign will hold a mass meeting at Karingmelk farm, agter Paarl, Durbanville.
• On 5 February the Speak-Out Campaign will go to Ladismith to hold a mass meeting.
On the 21 March, Human Rights Day, there will be a mass event calling for a criminal tribunal of farmers.

We call on working class organisations and progressive forces to stand in solidarity with the rural poor and working class:
• Build the Speak-Out Campaign. Let us bring working class organisations together to struggle against the bosses and their government.
• Workers have undertaken to defend their leaders. Each CSAAWU member will collect R5 each week to ensure dismissed workers will get their wage, that they can feed their children. You can do the same; you can share your loose change with workers.
• At Leuenkuil farm, Paarl, the farmer has gone on holiday leaving 150 workers with no money, food or water. At Wonderfontein farm, Robertson, a similar situation faces another 150 workers. The situation on these farms is desperate and intolerable. Send messages of protest to Wine Industry Ethical Trading Association (WIETA): 0828641816, Fax: 021 880 0576, email:[email protected]. Both farms export wine to Norway & Sweden. Their treatment of workers violates WIETA standards. Their products should not be handled or sold.
Donate any old clothing and non-perishable foods that you can.
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CSAAWU’s bank details are as follows: Bank: Standard Bank; Account number: 072003596; Account name: CSAAWU

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
1. CSAAWU
- Email: [email protected];
- phone CSAAWU office: 021 9518072
- Trevor Christians (CSAAWU General Secretary): 0835462911
- Karel Swart (CSAAWU Deputy General Secretary): 0729913371
2. DLF
- Mercia Andrews: 082 368 3429, [email protected]

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