South African fruit growers, still reeling from the recent violence and damage caused by strikes in some of the Cape fruit regions, are now preparing themselves for a planned resumption of the protests in the first week of December.
The prospect of further protest action has increased dramatically since the announcement last week by the South African labour minister Mildred Oliphant that the government needs much more time to negotiate and agree a new minimum wage structure.
Since then, labour representatives and activists announced have that the strike will resume on Tuesday, 4 December.
The previous violence two weeks ago caused huge damage to vineyards and orchards, as well as to infrastructure, disrupting harvesting of early stonefruit production.
The planned renewal of strike action will come at a key time for stonefruit growers who are now well into their harvest.
Political leaders in South Africa have expressed fears that another strike will again erupt in violence, while agricultural leaders have urged farmers to take steps to protect their properties.
The situation is not being helped by Tony Ehrenreich, spokesperson of South Africa’s biggest labour union Cosatu, who compared the strike to recent deadly violence in the mining industry – the so-called Marikana strike – and referred to action in the fruit and wine regions as “low-level civil war” between strikers and private security companies hired by farmers to protect their properties.
Last week, frantic meetings took place between the government, agricultural representatives and trade unions in Cape Town.
Oliphant said that in terms of the country’s labour laws the sectoral minimum wage structures in the farming industry could only be reviewed after one year.
The latest deal was signed nine months ago, which implies the review process can only start around March next year.
With emotions running high, Western Cape police are ready for anything protesting farm workers can throw at them, provincial police commissioner Arno Lamoer announced in a media briefing.
“From our side, we will ensure the safety of everybody and that the law is being adhered to,” he told journalists in Cape Town.
During the recent violence, the government and police came in for stinging attacks from the farming community for a perceived failure to take adequate steps to protect property.
The Western Cape Premier and leader of South Africa’s opposition party the Democratic Alliance, Helen ZIlle, has called for the army to be deployed to cope with the unrest.
Meanwhile, representatives of farming body Agri SA have met with labour union leaders and, in a letter undersigned by deciduous fruit industry group Hortgro, appealed to them to communicate continuously and effectively with their constituency regarding the legal review process and to call on workers to act with constraint, abide by the law and refrain from violent and criminal behavior.
“The intention [of this week’s meetings] was to seek a solution that would be acceptable to both farmers and farm workers and not undermine long-term sustainability of the agricultural sector and food security,” the group said.
The statement says the parties are now awaiting the results of a previously agreed-upon independent economic modeling exercise under the auspices of the Bureau of Food and Agricultural Policy, which is being compiled by academics from the Universities of Pretoria and Stellenbosch.
“This will provide insight into the implications on the profitability and sustainability of agricultural sub-sectors under different wage level scenarios. This information will be available within the next two weeks,” the statement added.
“We met to discuss options and processes which could resolve the labour unrest in the Western Cape as a short-term objective and seeking consensus on wage and social benefits of farm workers as a long-term objective.”
Interestingly, the statement insisted that farmers accepted the minimum wage would increase.
“In addition, farmers proposed that the parties jointly assess the nature and extent of ‘in kind’ benefits and how these should be accounted for in the wage structure,” it continued.
“Whilst the affordability of higher wages may be a constraint, the broader policy environment which impacts on the sector's profitability requires scrutiny and adjustments.”
Agri SA also urged its own members to show constraint and act within the law.
“The farmers’ approach is aligned with the provisions of the Basic Conditions of Employment Act as recently alluded to by the Minister of Labour, Ms Mildred Oliphant. Cosatu and the unions demand a solution which is outside of the current legal framework.
“This process should not be about scoring points but finding a sustainable solution. It is therefore imperative that all parties commit themselves to the process as announced by the Minister of Labour.”
With a nervous few days ahead for the South African fruit and wine industries, it is clear that confidence is being eroded.
This will have a long-term impact on the industry’s growth and its potential to create jobs in a country already experiencing high unemployment levels.
