This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
TMG Digital writes that farm workers’ battles with lifestyle diseases‚ HIV/AIDS and substance abuse are likely to threaten SA’s food security.
According to Agility Corporate, which provides healthcare risk-management solutions to medical schemes, a sickly workforce is likely to result in loss of productivity‚ adding to the many challenges SA farmers have to deal with‚ including drought‚ farm attacks and issues of land ownership. "Our research in the agricultural sector shows that lifestyle diseases top the list of most-claimed-for conditions‚" said Lizette Bester of Agility. Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases are common among farm workers. Bester added that the negative effect of stress‚ psychological trauma‚ substance abuse‚ financial worries and workers living with chronic illnesses were likely to worsen farm workers’ state of health. AgriSA‚ a federation of agricultural organisations‚ said HIV/AIDS and related illnesses, as well as alcohol abuse among workers, remained "a big challenge" for farmers. AgriSA’s Christo van der Rheede noted: "Workers that are absent due to illness not only bring about lower productivity‚ but also have a negative impact on job prospects and career growth.” Of particular concern is substance abuse.
- Read this report by Suthentira Govender in full at BusinessLive
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page