Africa Key Trends Emergent Issues amp Underlying and Structural Problems Margareet Visser Institute of Development and Labour Law University of Cape Town and Dr Stuart Ferrer ID: 578783
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Slide1
Farm Workers’ Living and Working Conditions in South Africa: Key Trends, Emergent Issues, & Underlying and Structural Problems
Margareet Visser Institute of Development and Labour Law,University of Cape Townand Dr Stuart Ferrer Director of the Agricultural Policy Research Unit, School of Agricultural, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of KwaZulu-NatalSlide2
How? Our Methodology
Focussed on labour-intensive industriesTen case studies (consisting of five farms each) in eight provincesIn-depth semi-structured individual interviews with 48 producers and 208 farm workersGroup interviews with 250 farm workers. 90 interviews with key stakeholders across the case studies (industry organisations, trade unions, NGOs, government)Slide3
The state’s approach to agriculture since 1994Engagement with farm workers (RDP)
Extension of labour legislationStrengthening of tenure of security rightsWithdrawal from producers (GEAR)Deregulation of the agricultural sector (e.g. closing down of marketing boards)Less direct support: subsidisationLess indirect support: withdrawal of tariff barriers Producers have become price takers Slide4
Has this policy worked?
The number of farming units have declined by 30% over 10 years) Average solvency of farms has declined to the worst levels in 30 years as debt growth outstripped asset growth.The number of workers have declined by 30% over 20 years)Slide5
Markets have changed….Covent Garden 1968-1974Slide6
Markets today… A Walmart
DCSlide7
Farmers have little control over pricesSlide8
Casualisation has increased
Sep-08Oct-09Nov-10Dec-11 PSP
S
P
S
P
S
Hex
61
39
33
67
35
65
34
66
Orange
15
85
15
85
12
88
11
89
Total
27
73
22
78
20
80
19
81Slide9
Serious knock-on effects as a result of casualisation
More workers are living off-farmLabour brokering prevalent in labour intensive areasMore internal migrationRural Towns not copingSlide10
More evictions? Difficult to know….A look at Drakenstein municipality
Department of Rural Affairs and Land Reform (DRDLR), Cape Winelands:Number of evictions:Drakenstein Municipality:Number
of
farmers
who have brought eviction
cases
Drakenstein Municipality:
Number
of eviction notices
received
Drakenstein
Municipality:
Number
of
occupiers estimated
to be
evicted
2012
6
31
91
147
2013
No data
11
42
63Slide11
Leave and working hours:We found fairly high levels of compliance
TotalPerm Season Outliers i.t.o compliancy (PW only)Outliers i.t.o. non-compliancy (PW only
)
Receive annual or pro-rata leave
78%
83%
63%
WC:
98%; Ventersdorp: 95%
Eston and Nkomazi: 67%
Receive paid sick leave
85%
88%
77%
SRV, Ventersdorp, Gauteng: 100
%
Eston: 75%; Nkomazi: 53
%
Work 9 hours (or less) per day
91%
89%
96%
WC,
SRV, Gauteng: 100%
Ventersdorp, Bothaville, Eston: 75-77
%
Receive a payslip during each pay period
96%
98%
91%
Are paid 1.5x the normal rate for overtime
66%
70%
56
%
SRV: 100%;
WC:
84%
Levubu: 38%; Eston: 50
%Slide12Slide13
Most WC workers earn less than R130 per day in 2014Slide14
Western Cape and Gauteng workers relatively better off than those in rest of country
2011% less2012% less2013% less
Mphuma
langa
21%
KZN
26%
Free State
24%
KZN
22%
Mphuma
langa
27%
Mphuma
langa
24.5%
Eastern Cape
24%
Eastern Cape
31%
Eastern Cape
30%
Free State
33%
Free State
35%
KZN
30.8%
Limpopo
34%
Limpopo
43%
Limpopo
51%Slide15
More protection and support to workers
Change labour legislation to protect seasonal workersMore legal support and rights training Closer co-operation between the DoL; and ethical trade bodies; unions should start to “ride” standardsImplement policies/plans to extend seasonal workRoll out the Public Works Programmes in rural areas during the off-season Support the establishment of processing facilities and post-harvest facilities that lengthen the seasonSlide16
Bolster producers’ bargaining powerOpen up new export markets
Eliminate non-tariff trade barriersConsider exempting exporting producers from the Competition ActSlide17
Revise Housing Policy
Provide more support for on-farm housing Enter public/private partnerships with producer communities to build more off-farm worker housing;More financial support to rural municipalitiesImprove public transport in rural areasSlide18
Full report available at:www.idll.uct.ac.za
Contact: Margareet VisserUniversity of Cape Townmargareet.visser@uct.ac.za