The input of farmworkers will be taken into consideration when a decision is made whether or not to implement the national minimum wage, says Lumka Yengeni, Chairperson of Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Labour.

The portfolio committee visited Ga-Kgapane in Limpopo this week to conduct a public hearing on the national minimum wage.

“The committee is here in order to get advice on how the national minimum wage should be implemented in the country,” Yengeni told those who attended the hearing.

She said the committee was aware that conditions at certain farms were appalling and people earned far less than what they should given the amount of hours they worked.

The committee could not “leave people behind” on such an important matter as the national minimum wage.

“We will take into consideration all the input with regards to the kind of minimum wage that will be acceptable to all in the country,” said Yengeni.

President Jacob Zuma has called for the viability of a national minimum wage to be investigated.

To this end, the committee has visited seven provinces to solicit the views of workers.