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Farm workers in Cape Town claim they enjoy no human rights

Farmers
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Farm workers from about 20 farms in the Cape Town and the Klein Karoo region say there’s very little respect for their human rights. The workers are meeting in Stellenbosch where they shared their frustrations on issues, including illegal evictions, sub-standard housing and non-compliance to the country’s minimum wage.

The Ubuntu Rural Women, which represents the rights of farm workers, says a recent study has found that over two million farm workers have been displaced between 1994 and 2004. About half of them were evicted.

The study also found that just 1% of the evictions went to court, while 77% of those evictees were women and children.

Farm workers, this Human Rights Month, spoke of farmers cutting working hours if they implement the minimum wage, among others.

Farm worker, Rosy Links, says her living conditions are unbearable.

Her colleague who works at a Stellenbosch wine farm, Sarah Claasen, says she escaped attempts at illegal eviction, simply because she knows her rights.

“My husband was dismissed and because of that, they tried to intimidate me, victimise me by telling my husband we must leave the house, and by that time, me, as a woman, I knew my rights. As a woman, I stood up for my rights. that’s why I still in my house today,” she says.

Coordinator of the Ubuntu Rural Women Organisation, Wendy Pekeur, says there’s no political will to resolve working conditions for farm workers as they have been reporting on these same issues for at least 20 years.

“Farm workers are not yet enjoying human rights. Their rights are violated every day. Their children are being evicted on the farm, or high rental paid for their children, living in the most appalling conditions where farm workers don’t have access to clean water or toilet or sanitation. We’ve been saying this log enough so I think there’s no political will,” Pekeur says.

Human Rights Commissioner ,Chris Nissen says he has been meeting with farming communities during this Human Rights month.

Nissen says he has established that it’s a minority of farmers who might be failing to observe the human rights of their workers.

Nissen says efforts must made to normalise relations between farm workers and land owners.

“It must be the interaction with the relevant authorities and organisations that look after the farming communities. So, we’ve resolved that we need to talk to Agri-South Africa. We were in a meeting in a few weeks ago where they told us some of the impressive stuff that they do, and we said to them, we know there are good things happening, however these bad things they might be in a minority but they are the dominant agenda of the farming community and we need to correct that.”

The Ubuntu Rural Women Organisation says the meaning of the day will be realised when the human rights of farm workers are fully respected.

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