Covid-19 has revealed the importance of those responsible for keeping our food supply available, whilst continue to work, often in poor conditions to ensure Eastern Cape and the country do not go food insecure.
While majority of South Africans shelter in their places to prevent the spread of COVID-19, farmworkers move from row to row, carefully harvesting and packing the various harvests into boxes to supply the country-wide.
As the province reels from the economic shock induced by the pandemic and by the economic disruptions it continues to cause, farmworkers and the agricultural value chain facilities’ workers are sustaining us all. They deserve economic support, worker protection and our gratitude.
I have been made aware of the return of seasonal workers from the Western Cape to the province which remains a huge challenge. Interactions with my counterpart in Western Cape is currently happening to manage the situation. This is especially prevalent in the citrus-growing areas where seasonal pickers return to the province with the expectation to get employment in the industry from the province. Whilst the interaction continue with Western Cape, I have instructed officials in the department to immediately alter to local Citrus Growers’ Association (CGA) and caution their members to ensure PPE and social distance is maintained. At the same time, they are engaging the CGA in the Western Cape to convince farmers to have workers tested prior to releasing them so that farmworkers are cleared when they return to the province, either going home or following new citrus harvesting areas.
The department is strengthening communication with the sector, including through the provincial Agriculture COVID-19 Task Team, where commodity organizations such as citrus, wool and mohair industries to name a few, are represented. In this regard, it must also be noted that all farms, agricultural value chain facilities are expected to abide by all the rules and regulations pertaining to workplace PPE and social distancing. In cases where these rules are not adhered to, the relevant authorities, including SAPS will continue being informed and action taken.
Through law enforcement officers, we have learnt of attempts to use back roads by certain road users. Officers have been deployed to those back roads as well. We wish to persuade farm owners and managers across the province not to accept labour brokers who are using scrupulous means to get labour force to their farms.
After noticing a decline on the Tsitsikamma cross-province route, an investigation was conducted by the Department of Transport. It is then that the Department of Transport discovered motorists using R102 through Joubertina from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape. We are happy that Department of Transport has swiftly and completely closed that road.
Had employers and self-serving labour brokers not been prioritising profits over human life, this could have been better managed.
I wish to remind the sector that this is a developing situation and that all businesses should stay up to date with any changes in regulation that may come into effect during this lockdown period.
For clarity, please contact Lungisa on 0733457229.
Issued by Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform