By Drickus Botha
TLU SA warns all farmers to be alert and take necessary precautions against people who want to enter their farms to create unrest.
We have taken note of the EFF’s so-called labour desks as well as people impersonating labour inspectors to obtain access to farms and farmworkers. We encourage all rural landowners and inhabitants to join a local safety structure. We can beat rural crime if we all take part.
The EFF makes a lot of threats and protests with members handing over memorandums of demand to farm owners. These are usually unreasonable and baseless. The farmers are then threatened to comply with the demands or face a second visit from the party members.
TLU SA is aware of instances in Groblersdal, Tolwe and Naboomspruit where people were attacked and workers were fired.
The EFF misleads workers to such an extent that they don’t take real labour issues to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration or appropriate departments. The workers listen to the EFF only. But the EFF cannot do much more than make promises about what will happen after the next election.
We suggest all farm owners take the following measures to protect themselves:
Keep gates locked and ensure you have an explicit notice indicating private property and that trespassers will be prosecuted – the message should be in more than one language.
Join a local safety structure.
Get a response plan in place.
Get experienced negotiators to speak to the trespassers.
Plan with the police on when and how to react.
Get expert advice about laws relating to public gatherings and trespassing. No personnel records should be shown to anyone without a warrant or the necessary identification.
Drickus Botha is the Regional Manager or TLU SA North.