The New Age reports that some farmers are unlawfully deducting electricity, water and rentals to counter the minimum wage for farmworkers set by the government.  

The government adjusted the minimum wages for the farming and forestry sectors last March.  Investigations by The New Age revealed farm workers, who in some instances work as long as 18 hours a day, earn R1,200 a month after “deductions”.  The minimum wage for farm workers per hour is R14.25 and R128.26 per nine-hour day calculated to R2,778.83 a month.  The Food and Allied Workers Union’s (Fawu’s) Katishi Masemole confirmed that few farm workers earned the prescribed minimum wage, with most forced to accept “slave wages”.  He accused farmers of charging ridiculous amounts for water and electricity because government was failing to bring them to account.

• Read this report by Mthokozisi Dube in full at The New Age

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