Labour warns farmers to comply with legislation

SCORES of farmers who did not comply with labour legislation were given three months to comply by the department of labour.

Inspectors discovered gross violations of basic conditions of employment during a blitz in Tzaneen, Phalaborwa, Makhado, Modimolle, Groblersdal, Thohoyandou and Lephalale last week.

Departmental spokesperson, Johannes Mokou, said some of the farmers were found to have been underpaying their employees.

“At some farms, workers were underpaid by more than R1 000 and employers failed to contribute to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF), despite deducting the money from workers’ salaries,” said Mokou.

According to the director for inspections and enforcement services, Phaswane Tladi, the operation was held to determine whether employers in the farming sector were complying with the R2 227 monthly minimum wage set by the department, including contributions towards Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) and Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Disease (COID), payment of over-time, issuing of pay slips and contract of employment.

The farming sector in the province employs thousands of permanent and seasonal workers.

The department ordered farmers who did not comply with labour legislations to start doing so immediately.

Mokou said inspectors also discovered that some workers had not been registered after working for many years at the same farm.

He further said inspectors found cases of employees working without protective clothing and some of their housing was not fit for human habitation.

“We are not saying workers should be provided luxury accommodation, but a better living space is preferable,” he said.

He added that some employers were deducting more than, the legally designated amount from workers’ salaries for accommodation which is not up to standard.