By Ndumiso Mlilo.
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa. (News Of The South) – Over 85 Zimbabweans face uncertain future after they were evicted by a South African farmer from his farm after asking for payment for working overtime.
Some Zimbabweans had been working in the Johannesburg farm for over 10 years in Lephalale near the South African border with Botswana . The farm workers mostly undocumented had been working from 6 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon. The farmer then ordered the workers to work from 6 in the morning to 12 midnight without overtime payment. Some Zimbabweans demanded R10 overtime payment. The farm management then had been threatening the Zimbabweans since August last year when they started asking for R10 extra for working overtime.
The farmer then set dogs on Zimbabweans, beat them with rubber bullets while some were kidnapped and beaten. After some were seriously beaten 90 Zimbabweans moved out of the farm after being told to stop working and denied water and food. Edward Muchatutwa from the House of Hope Shelter which had been helping the Zimbabweans said the treatment of Zimbabweans is a gross human rights. Muchatutwa said, “on December 25 90 Zimbabweans traveled over 25 kilometers with some pregnant and slept in the open.”
The Zimbabwean Consulate in Johannesburg intervened and negotiated for the 85 Zimbabweans to be be temporarily accommodated in Lephalale. The Department of Labour are now investigating the farmer. Immigration officials also gave Zimbabweans temporary papers to stay until their case is concluded. One of the farm workers, Sakhile Moyo who had worked in the farm for a year said, “we are asking our employer to give us our pay, if he wants us to work its fine but if he doesn’t we will go back home. He ill-treats us and sometimes beats us. The foreman also don’t treat us well. If you are sick you go on your own to seek treatment and he doesn’t care. If you are sick they mark you absent from work and you are not paid. Child labour is rampant and we get R60 per day.”
Marko Nyathi (40) who has working in the farm in the past for 10 years complained that he earns salary similar to a worker who is one day old in the farm.
Nyathi said, “we wanted an increase in our wages but the farm owner refused and brought guns and chased us. Some were injured when we ran away. He switched off water and electricity at the compound. We want the Zimbabwean government to help us by talking to this farmer. Others were injured but those who beat them were not arrested.”
Most Zimbabweans who spoke to News of the South said they called the police several times and the police did not help. They said the police react quickly when called by the farm owner who is white.
Zimbabwe’s Consul General to South Africa Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro said they will assist Zimbabweans to ensure that justice is served. He said, “I am responding to a call by Zimbabweans claiming to have been beaten by their employer. We are engaging the authorities on the matter trying to see if they can receive justice. Our people should try to have passports and permits, 100 of them have no papers and employers take advantage of that.”
Mukonoweshuro lamented that Zimbabweans were being paid meager salaries. He also said most of the workers comes from Matabeleland and Masvingo.
Janet Munakamwe from Africa Diaspora Workers Network visited the workers and distributed food handouts. She also said they will take legal action against the farmer. Munakmwe said, “Zimbabweans were subjected to slave like conditions. Their socio-economic rights were trampled upon. Pregnant women were ill-treated and did not have access to the medical attention.”
She however expressed dissatisfaction in the manner the South African Dept of Labour handled the issue. She said when the Labour officials came they had figures which they said the farmer should pay the workers. She said she does not know where they got it from and how they arrived at that figure before asking the workers about their service in the farm. Some non governmental organisations have been holding some meetings on how to assist the Zimbabweans.
Johannesburg farm produces potatoes and employs over 300 workers with the bulk being Zimbabweans. Five of the Zimbabweans have left the open space and were accommodated by friends while others went to look for jobs somewhere. Some Zimbabweans said the farmer was keeping their passports and not allowing them to go and look for jobs in other farms.
Comments
About Author
