Cosatu condemns assault on farm workers 06-02-08

 

condemns assault on farm workers

The Congress of South African Trade Unions is shocked at yet another incident of violent abuse of farm workers by their employer.

According to the Sowetan, a Limpopo farmer allegedly assaulted two of his employees - Lucky Mafoka and Morongwa Joyce Sekoba - after chaining them to the roof of a storeroom throughout the night and pouring water over them. Their hands were tightly chained and when they were rescued, they were swollen and it appeared they had suffered a lot of pain.

The farmer is alleged to have accused them of stealing goods from the storeroom but he could not specify which items had been stolen. He called out security guards, but to their credit, instead of helping the farmer they rescued the victims and took them to the police station.

COSATU welcomes the arrest of the farmer, when he went to the police station to lay charges of theft against the workers, but was himself charged with assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, and has been remanded in custody.

COSATU demands that if the farmer should be found guilty there will be no repetition of similar cases in the area, like three years ago, when a farmer shot dead a 10-year-old boy, claimed he had mistaken him for a rabid dog, and was let off with a suspended sentence.

Employers who perpetrate such acts violence against their workers must be dealt with severely, to demonstrate that such apartheid-era practices will not be tolerated in a democratic South Africa.

Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)

Congress of South African Trade Unions

1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets

Braamfontein, 2017

P.O. Box 1019

Johannesburg, 2000

SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24

Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940/ 086 603 9667

Cell: 0828217456

E-Mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za