The Department of Labour in the North West has issued two prohibition notices to Klippan farm near Bloemhof.
Labour inspectors visited the farm to conduct an inspection after workers alerted the SABC to their living and working conditions.
It was found that the farm failed to supply workers with personal protective gear and they were sleeping in an uninhabitable store room.
Here are some of the workers explaining their living and working conditions on the farm.
“We don’t have PPE including gloves and masks. We only have our own overalls. We are sleeping in a store room which is sub divided and we just sleeping on the floor. We were 102 and served with eight litres of milk and those who were not able to get milk, were forced to eat porridge with snakes. Our employer used to tell us that her farm is not a restaurant. When we asked how much we were earning, she became cross,” explain farm workers.
Provincial Chief Inspector for the Labour Department, Boikie Mampuru, has confirmed that they have closed all the operations at the farm.
“Our inspectors have issued prohibition notices, in fact two prohibition notices, one for the farmer not complying with PPE’s and the second one was that the farmer allowed the employees to be sleeping in a store room. So all these operations have been prohibited. It simply means that we are not expecting any operations to take place in that farm,” adds Mampuru.
The video below is a report on Skeerpoort poultry farm workers who were allegedly denied access to essential goods:
Poultry farm workers in Skeerpoort near Brits in the North West say their employer is denying them permission to shop for essential goods.
They are also not being allowed to access health services.
They also do not have personal protective equipment.
Employers urged to urged to prioritize workers safety
The Minister of Employment and Labour, Thulas Nxesi, says employers must take measures to protect the health and safety of their employees.
In the video below, Labour Minister Thipa’s Nxesi discusses labour issues on back-to-work readiness:
Eight new COVID-19 deaths recorded in SA with cases at 6 783
Meanwhile, Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that eight more people have died due to the coronavirus, bringing the national death toll to 131.
He says 6 783 cases have been recorded, with 2 549 recoveries.
Active cases have risen by 489 bringing the total number up to 4 103.
South Africa’s infection rate is just 217 new infections shy of reaching 7000.
The increase in deaths is recorded from the Eastern Cape with four and both Gauteng and Western Cape recording two each.
The graphic below outlines the Level 4 lockdown restrictions
