COSATU Supports Government Land Reform Proposals

COSATU in the Western Cape supports the Government land reform proposals as the only way to avoid a war over land. The land reform measures put in place thus far has been inadequate, with only a small black elite benefitting and many farming projects set up to fail. These failures are then used as justification of why land reform cannot be promoted. The mainly white farmers' organisation has promoted this racist agenda in the country for too long. The legacy of the 1913 Land Act where the land was stolen from indigenous Africans, is still largely in place.

COSATU supports the intention of the government to force cooperation between black and white; and of workers and bosses in agriculture. This example of Cooperation has been working on farms like Solms-Delta, with much improved production and increased sales and increasing profits. Here workers have real partnerships and influence in the running of the farms, with the social and business advantages being to the benefit of all. Many of the farmers understand that greater social justice and equality on farms are the only way forward that is sustainable and in the long term interest of everyone.

Many farms in SA unfortunately still have the Apartheid style industrial and human relations, with many farmers being downright racist. This apartheid type of farm relations just increases the historical hostility between farmers and farm workers. This conduct on farms are both bad for business and bad for the National project of building a nation that undoes the ills of apartheid.   

Agri-SA has come out with a predictably racist statement that tries to threaten the agricultural sector of the Country, if Government tries to right the historical injustices on farms. The threats of those few racist farmers will not work to delay the move towards greater justice in Agriculture. Farm workers and the Country has been more than patient with these racist farmers who seek to exclude black interest on farms and victimise workers for demanding justice in Agriculture.

The Agri-WC who is the driver of the racist agenda of the Agricultural sector in the Western Cape, will force workers to fight for the land and the implementation of National Government policy, by their refusal to negotiate a fair deal for Agriculture. The Provincial Government also opposes National Government policy of greater land reform and justice on the farms, ably supported by the DA Nationally, who wants to defend the apartheid generational advantages.

As Agricultural workers and farm workers organisations we are preparing to come to the defence of our people on the farms. We will no longer tolerate the brutality and near slave conditions that some farmers subject the indigenous people to on the farms. We will defend farm workers against the greed of some farmers who force our people to be slaves in the country of their birth. If need be, we will defend our people against the poverty and violence that farmers impose on our people, with the age old motto of an eye for an eye.  

We remain hopeful that a negotiated process will find lasting solutions that accommodates the interest of the entire agricultural community, but there will be no quick fixes that maintain the legacy of apartheid on the farms. Farmers are urged to welcome this opportunity for talks and participate to find solutions, before the time for talking is lost.

Statement issued by Tony Ehrenreich, COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary, June 24 2014

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