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.Cape Argus reports that the farming community of Koelenhof in Stellenbosch is mourning four farmworkers who died after drinking ‘expired alcohol’.
Juanita Hull, Megan Heynes, Wilhemina Snyder, Elton Greene and Monecia Alckers were among a group of five drinking together on 26 July. Days later, an ambulance was dispatched to fetch three of them. Monecia’s sister, Jestine Alckers said: “They took the gin from Joubert Family Wine farm that Friday morning. Apparently, there was a 25-litre bucket and they only got 1.5 litres. It was a very strong drink, which they chased with a cool drink. It looked like water, I understand that it was expired but I don’t know if they knew that it was.” Monecia is the only farmworker still alive. Jestine explained this was not the first time they had consumed the drink. A month earlier a 25-litre bucket with the alcohol was taken and nothing happened. “They were reportedly told by someone at the farm that if they drank the alcohol again, then they will go blind and die. And that is what happened. On Friday and Saturday they had no problems. On Sunday they first complained about their eyesight and then they said they were nauseous and throwing up,” Jestine reported. She went on to say: “We thought they ate something but we are now convinced that they were poisoned by what they all drank.” A Joubert Family Wine farm manager said they would not comment on the incident and were waiting for the detectives to investigate. Post-mortems will be conducted to determine the causes of death.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mandilakhe Tshwete at Cape Argus
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