Minister: Farmers - 'avoid victimisation', farmworkers - 'refrain from violence'

According to the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson has urged Agri SA and unions representatives to negotiate in good faith for farmworkers' minimum wage demand.

The Farmworkers in De Doorns embarked on a strike early last month demanding R150 per day as well as improved living conditions.

Updating reporters on the farmworkers strike Wednesday, Joemat-Pettersson called upon all farmworkers to return to work. "We also want to appeal to farmers not to victimise farmworkers during this negotiations process, (and we are also) appealing to farmworkers to refrain from all forms of violence," she said.

Highlighting the importance of all stakeholders to work together, the minister said: "I believe that the processes we've agreed upon has allowed us to have the strike suspended pending the review of the sectorial determination of the minimum wage for farm workers". Most farmworkers in the area earn between R69 and R75 a day, the GCIS reports.

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