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COSATU is deeply disturbed by the victimization and the ill treatment of farm workers and domestic workers throughout the country by their employers. Many of these workers have been reporting to the federation that they are being intimidated and bullied by their employers to either vote for specific parties or not vote at all.

The plight of farm workers is worsened by the fact that there is very little by way of government inspections that is taking place in most farms. Most farm workers are experiencing working conditions that can only be described as those resembling modern day slavery.

This poor monitoring by the department of labour means that some of these workers are forced to exceed the maximum working hours permitted by law. They do not receive the required overtime pay or time off, including overtime provisions.

The federation is calling on all workers to report the cases of exploitation, and the physical and psychological abuse in the workplace to government authorities and also to nearby COSATU offices for intervention.

Lately ,we have seen a rise in the cases of workers that dismissed arbitrary without the employers following proper disciplinary procedures ,as set out in our labour laws. Some workers have seen their family graves desecrated and destroyed ,while some have had their live stock confiscated by farmers during labour relations disputes or evictions.

The ongoing local government elections campaign has further exposed what we have always known that most farm workers live in poorly maintained, sub-standard houses. They lack access to basic services, including water, sanitation and electricity.

Most of them are exposed to the most horrific cases of racial, gender and sexual discrimination. COSATU is calling on the department of labour to ensure that they help farm workers and domestic workers to register for special voting and are protected against bullying and victimization by their employers in the upcoming local government elections.

Issued by COSATU