COSATU warns DA to stop politicising farm workers' strikes

COSATU wants to caution the DA about politicising the strike in De Doorns. The tensions have already led to a situation of ongoing conflict, which has the risk to become open violence. The DA problems are as follows

The MEC of Agriculture who went there, went to defend the farmers' interest and that is why workers asked them to leave and not come back.

The visit by Zille in spite of workers warning, led to the Premier being unceremoniously chased away from the workers gathering.

AGRI SA has taken a stand against the need for collective bargaining in De Doorns and this has incensed workers, who are escalating there strike action.

Many farmers no longer want AGRI SA to represent them and instead want to do a deal with workers that will bring about an increase for workers. 

The cat is out of the bag in the Western Cape, where workers now know that the DA supports the farmers' oppression of them and they are rejecting the DA. This is why the DA lost the election in the West Coast and will continue to lose political support. COSATU continues to support the workers demand of R 150 per day and reject the R80 offered by the farmers as an insult and return to slave wages.

 We call for peace and refrain from violence in the area and for good faith negotiations to resolve the issues. We also call on the Minister of Agriculture Nationally to intervene and force the farmers to the negotiations table.

Statement issued by COSATU Western Cape Provincial Secretary,  Tony Ehrenreich, November 8 2012

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter