TMG Digital reports that the Western Cape’s MEC for economic development, Alan Winde, indicated on Thursday that investigations into conditions at the province’s wine farms had produced clear evidence that some employees were being poorly treated.  

After having been briefed by the national Department of Labour, he commented:  “This was never‚ ever acceptable‚ and it still isn't.  It will not be tolerated.”  He welcomed the contravention notices issued to some farms.  The department had investigated allegations contained in a recent documentary by a Danish filmmaker on the conditions of farmworkers at some of the country’s top wine estates.  Winde said he would be meeting with provincial social development MEC Albert Fritz to work on putting systems in place to detect any violations on farms timeously.

• Read this report in full at TimesLive
• Read too, Farm workers had no safe drinking water, investigation finds, at News24
• See Winde’s press statement at SA Govt online

Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page