WFP and Sikhula Sonke have taken the lead in drawing together a coalition of farm worker organisations focussed on campaigning for a living wage for farm workers. The current Sectoral Determination for Farm Workers announcement set the annual minimum wage increases for the 3-year period between 2006 and 2009. This announcement was made in 2006 when there was an expectation that the inflation rate would remain below 4.5%, and as such, the annual increase was set at exactly 4.5%. In reality we now know that this has not been the case with inflation in rural areas almost 8% and food inflation closer to 10%. The campaign is focussed on getting the Minister of Labour to revoke the 2008 announcement in favour of an increase that more accurately reflects the real cost of living. On the 29th of September the Coalition held a very successful demonstration of more than 1000 farm workers in
Cape Town .The demonstration was widely covered in the print and broadcast media and a Memorandum was handed over to a representative of the Minister of Labour.
Anti-Evictions March
As part of the Food and Allied Workers’ Unions (FAWU) campaign focusing on food inflation, WFP highlighted the issue of farm worker evictions by participating in the FAWU-led march and rally on the 21ste of November in Paarl and distributing information pamphlets on land rights and ESTA.With the support of Sikhula Sonke, farm women were mobilised to participate in the march where a number of women took to the stage in addressing the crowd of about 1500 people.
Tesco Campaign In partnership with ActionAid-UK, WFP acquired 3 shares at a cost of 4p (about 52 cents) each. The shares were acquired in the names of Fatima Shabodien (Executive Director), Wendy Pekeur (General Secretary of Sikhula Sonke) and Gertruida Baartman, a seasonal fruit picker on a Tesco-supplying farm in Ceres. In 2006, Gertruida addressed the Tesco AGM in London where she told Tesco’s shareholders, Board and the media of the unethical working conditions experienced by farm workers on certain Tesco-supplying farms. In 2007, Gertruida returned to the Tesco AGM and again addressed the shareholders, explaining that not much has changed and that there appears to be a lack of commitment from Tesco to really address the question of rights violations on farms. It was clear that Tesco was well prepared this time because a representative from the South African fruit exporting body, Cape Span, was on hand at the AGM to counter Gertruida’s presentation. The Cape Span representative attempted to assure shareholders that the problems mentioned were minor and were being dealt with. We challenged this by arguing that farmers are willing to say whatever Tesco instructs them to say as they will do anything to protect their contacts.
In partnership with ActionAid-UK, WFP acquired 3 shares at a cost of 4p (about 52 cents) each. The shares were acquired in the names of Fatima Shabodien (Executive Director), Wendy Pekeur (General Secretary of Sikhula Sonke) and Gertruida Baartman, a seasonal fruit picker on a Tesco-supplying farm in Ceres. In 2006, Gertruida addressed the Tesco AGM in London where she told Tesco’s shareholders, Board and the media of the unethical working conditions experienced by farm workers on certain Tesco-supplying farms. In 2007, Gertruida returned to the Tesco AGM and again addressed the shareholders, explaining that not much has changed and that there appears to be a lack of commitment from Tesco to really address the question of rights violations on farms. It was clear that Tesco was well prepared this time because a representative from the South African fruit exporting body, Cape Span, was on hand at the AGM to counter Gertruida’s presentation. The Cape Span representative attempted to assure shareholders that the problems mentioned were minor and were being dealt with. We challenged this by arguing that farmers are willing to say whatever Tesco instructs them to say as they will do anything to protect their contacts.
Tesco Campaign
In 2006, Gertruida Baartman, a seasonal fruit packer from Ceres addressed the Tesco AGM where she told Tesco’s shareholders, Board and the media of the unethical working conditions experienced by farm workers on certain Tesco-supplying farms. In 2007, Gertruida returned to the Tesco AGM and again addressed the shareholders, explaining that not much has changed and there appears to be a lack of commitment from Tesco to really address the question of rights violations on farms. It was clear that Tescos was well prepared this time and a representative from the South African fruit exporting body, Cape Span was on hand in at the AGM to counter our presentation. The Cape Span representative attempted to assure the stakeholders that the problems mentioned were minor and were being dealt with. We countered this by arguing that farmers are willing to say whatever Tescos instructed them to say as farmers would do anything to protect their contacts.
EMMA THOMPSON’S VISIT TO WFP
As part of its work, ActionAid International (AAI) partners with like minded organisations across the world. In South Africa, WFP is an AAI partner.
In her role as a patron of ActionAid International (AAI), famous British actress, Emma Thompson, visited South Africa in February. She specifically visited WFP as part of her public support for AAI’s “Stop Corporate Abuse” campaign which highlights how big multinational companies often exploit the rights of poor communities and workers and destroy the environment.
During her visit to our office, a press conference was held where Emma informed the media of the purpose of her visit. The press conference was followed by visits to farms in the Wellington/Paarl areas where she had the opportunity to interact with farm workers and to learn more about the struggles facing women farm workers on commercial farms in South Africa.
Upon her return to Britain, Emma wrote about her visit in the British media to increase public awareness of the struggles of women farm workers in South Africa.
FARM WOMEN WORKERS’ RIGHTS = HUMAN RIGHTS AWARENESS WORKSHOP
In partnership with the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM), WFP and Sikhula Sonke hosted a one--day Human Rights workshop for women who live and work on farms. Themed “Farm Women Workers’ Rights = Human Rights”, the workshop aimed at informing women of their human rights as enshrined in the South African constitution.
Sixty-seven farmwomen participants attended the workshop which was held on 17 March 2007. The workshop was also attended by staff from WFP and Sikhula Sonke, as well as the Mayor and representatives of the Cape Winelands District Municipality.
The methodology used was participatory, developmental and empowering. Some of the topics included in the programme were HIV/AIDS and Women’s Rights, Experiences of Women’s Human Rights violations and Strategies for realising Women’s Rights. Twenty-seven women tested for HIV/AIDS during this workshop.
HUMAN RIGHTS MARCH
On 20 March, day before Human Rights Day, approximately 70 farm workers marched to parliament. The purpose of the march was to highlight the plight of farm workers concerning an infringement on their livelihood and they demanded a radical change to their current circumstances that includes wages of less than R1000 per month and the abuse of farm worker rights. ALARM coordinated the march and handed a memorandum of the grievances and demands of the marchers to the office of the provincial and national speaker. The march was attended by farm workers and dwellers from the Swellendam, Stellenbosch, Rawsonville. In front of parliament, farm workers spoke of their experiences on farms. A woman spoke out about how she was assaulted and rape by a farm owner.
10th ANNIVERSARY CONFERENCE: “What Has Changed and How Change Happens?”
From 2 to 4 December 2006, more than 150 women who live and work on farms gathered in Stellenbosch to celebrate WFP’s 10th anniversary through a conference aimed at exploring changes in the 10 years of our existence. The historic conference created a vibrant and inspiring space for farmwomen to reflect on changes in their lives during the last 10 years. As we are in the second decade of a democratic South Africa, the conference also helped us explore our visions for change over the next 10 years.
