Scramble to raise farm wages amid Cape havoc

THE government on Wednesday announced an immediate review of minimum wages for all farm workers as part of a deal in which trade unions representing striking Western Cape farm workers agreed to return to work on Thursday.

The development came after a day of unprecedented and frequently violent protest action by farm workers in the Western Cape, in which one worker was confirmed dead as a result of police action in Wolseley. Other towns in which protesters clashed with police and public roads were barricaded included: De Doorns, Ceres, Prince Alfred Hamlet, Robertson, Ashton, Bonnievale, Villiersdorp and Piketberg. Amid the chaos, Western Cape Premier Helen Zille warned that the province was "heading for anarchy", and that thousands of jobs could be on the line.

The promised wage review will have profound implications for the agricultural sector, for which the labour minister has set a minimum wage of R70 a day. It could also push up food prices and inflation, and have a knock-on effect on other minimum wages. Western Cape farm workers are demanding R150 a day. If they find the new minimum wage, expected to be announced within two weeks, unacceptable, they will resume striking on December 4. At a press briefing in Cape Town on Wednesday, acting labour minister Angie Motshekga — Labour Minister Mildred Oliphant is out of the country — said a notice will be published in the Government Gazette within a week "indicating the intention to call all interested parties to comment on the possibility to review the sectoral determination". A notice will also be published announcing the cancellation of the existing wage determination, affecting all agricultural workers.

The Employment Conditions Commission, the statutory body which advises the labour minister on minimum wages, was meeting from Wednesday to begin determining a new minimum wage. Employer and worker representatives will have an opportunity to make representations to the commission on appropriate wage levels. There was some uncertainty over whether a single minimum wage for all agricultural sectors will again be set, or whether there will be differentiation according to different province’s products.

Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) Western Cape secretary Tony Ehrenreich is advocating that there should be differentiation within the sector as some products — such as the table grapes grown in the De Doorns area where the strike began — are more profitable than others.

Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson said on Wednesday that the commission would have to make recommendations on whether new minimum wages should be set for all provinces, or whether the higher wages would apply only in the Western Cape. However, the cancellation of the existing determination necessarily implies that wages in all provinces be reviewed.

Cosatu, which led the brokering of the deal between the government and the strikers, was confident on Wednesday that workers would return to work, despite the strike spreading across towns and farms in the Western Cape over the past two days. Although not initially involved in the labour action, Cosatu and a coalition of independent unions and nongovernmental organisations active on the farms were "invited" by strikers to represent them in the negotiations. Cosatu subsequently assumed a leading role in the action among workers, of whom only 6% are unionised. Co-ordination of the strike across the towns was achieved largely through the relatively small networks of organisations, which spread word by SMS.

Mr Ehrenreich said the agreement contained three key elements: an urgent review of the national minimum wage; that no disciplinary action be taken against strikers; and that an interim minimum of R80 apply until the new wage is agreed.

Wednesday was the second day of unprecedented and frequently violent protest action by farm workers in the Western Cape. One worker was confirmed dead as a result of police action in incident in the town of Wolseley. Other towns in which protesters clashed with police and public roads were barricaded yesterday included: De Doorns, Ceres, Prince Alfred Hamlet, Robertson, Ashton, Bonnievale, Villiersdorp and Piketberg.

Premier of the Western Cape Premier Helen Ms Zille wrote to President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday, asking him and Ms Oliphant to set a new minimum wage for farm workers. On Wednesday, Ms Zille made a desperate appeal for co-operation to Western Cape African National Congress leader Marius Fransman. "We are heading towards anarchy. Thousands of jobs will be lost and an industry potentially destroyed," she said in an SMS to Mr Fransman. "I am receiving horrific reports of farm worker intimidation. It is essential that we remove politics from this matter and stabilise the situation. I am extremely worried that lives are in danger and that people will retaliate."

Presidency spokesman Mac Maharaj said yesterday that Ms Zille could ask for the South African National Defence Force’s assistance to quell the violence as Mr Zuma had already authorised its deployment until January to assist with public violence nationwide after the Marikana tragedy in September. Mr Maharaj said Ms Zille had to engage with Ms Oliphant and Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula. "There is no need for the president to micromanage everything. Ms Zille should approach the channels available," he said.

Employer body Agri SA said the setting of minimum wages was the sole preserve of government. Agri SA president Johannes Möller said farmers were free to negotiate with workers on pay. "Agri SA has encouraged farmers, where possible, to pay above the minimum wage."

Cape Chamber of Commerce president Fred Jacobs said the government should return to "an empirical methodology" rather than "sucking a number out of the sky to determine what should be paid".

Source: Mail & Guardian