Cosatu not playing ball

Cosatu yesterday refused to oblige the ANC in Western Cape by calling for an end to the violent farmworkers' strike, saying it is for the workers to decide how far they want to go.

Instead, the trade union federation called on President Jacob Zuma to intervene urgently.

It said it wanted "bad farmers" to be named and shamed, and called for an international boycott of the produce of farmers who treat their workers badly.

On Friday, Marius Fransman, leader of the ANC in Western Cape, asked Cosatu and other unions to help bring about an end to the strike.

Fransman said he was concerned about "criminal elements" using the strike to loot shops.

He is also worried about the "presence of large numbers of seemingly imported mercenaries and militia disguised as farm security".

But Cosatu's provincial secretary, Tony Ehrenreich, reiterated that the strike, which has been plaguing Western Cape since last year, is not political and Cosatu was merely "facilitating talks".

"This strike can only be called off by workers, and they have said it will continue until a living wage is paid," said Ehrenreich yesterday.

The strike is expected to continue today, with fears that it will spread to other areas. Workers are likely to intensify their protest, which has already led to several arrests, deaths and injuries.

Ehrenreich said some farmers, especially the owners of bigger commercial farms, are taking a pragmatic stance and are willing to increase wages to more than R100 a day. The "bad farmers", he said, are opposing this.

For the "good farmers" - and only if they represent a "significant number of farmers" - the strike will be suspended in their area if an agreement is reached.

Cosatu will also ask the government to assist "good farmers" with subsidies.

As for the "bad farmers", he said the union federation will:

• Ask for an international boycott of agricultural products;
•  
• Ask retailers in South Africa not to sell their produce; if they refuse to comply, the union will ask the Government Employees' Fund to invest its money elsewhere; and

• Ask unionists working at harbours not to handle the produce of "bad farmers".

"The bad farmers who want to continue paying slave wages of R69 a day should get no support and these farms should be pushed into closure so that they can be bought by good farmers," said Ehrenreich.