COSATU condemns farm eviction - 24-01-06

 

COSATU condemns farm eviction

The Congress of South African Trade Unions Gauteng Province, and the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU), are deeply shocked at the allegations in the City Press that a DA-supporting farmer in Eikenhof has instructed the 'Red Ants' security force to evict 24 families from her land "because she believes they will vote for the ANC".

If the report is true, the farmer, Pat Watson, who owns the Sun Raise Poultry Farm, has already demolished the workers' ablution facilities, and has told the workers they must move by the end of this month or the compounds they live in will be destroyed.

The workers told the City Press that she insisted that they move because they were going to vote for the ANC, that "Thabo Mbeki would save them", and that there were "many people of your kind who are looking for work and she won't struggle finding replacements".

COSATU fully supports the sentiments of one of the workers, Pauline Lechaba, who told the City Press: "this woman is messing with our lives. All we ever wanted was to work for our families. Why should a black person suffer like this in a democratic South Africa?"

If true, this is yet another appalling example of apartheid era labour relations continuing unchanged in the new South Africa. Not only is this an attack on workers' basic human rights to shelter and security, and a denial of their rights under the labour laws, but it is a sinister attack on democracy and the hard-won right to vote.

COSATU calls upon the workers to stand their ground and refuse to move. We call upon the ANC and SACP to join us in a massive campaign of solidarity and support for the 24 families and any other facing similar threats by other employers anywhere in the country.

We also demand that the Democratic Alliance condemn this action by a woman who claims to support their party.

Many lost their lives in the long struggle for the right to vote and for human rights. We cannot allow politically motivated employers to deprive workers of their fundamental rights and throw them into poverty and homelessness.

For further information, please phone COSATU Provincial Secretary, Siphiwe Mgcina on 011 873 2610 or 082 465 8336, or FAWU Spokesperson, Dominique Swartz, on 021 637 9040/4