KZN Agriculture MEC addresses poor treatment of farm workers
Agriculture MEC, Themba Mthembu, has criticised what he says are farm owners who believe they can continue abusing and oppressing farm dwellers without any consequences.
Mthembu is visiting Nomandini in Newcastle where the local community is said to be up in arms over the actions of one farmer in the area.
They are accusing the farmer of unlawfully confiscating some 300 cattle from them and severely underpaying farm labourers workers.
The farm owner has also apparently locked dwellers out of the farm on some occasions.
ALSO READ: Drought costs Vryheid farm workers their jobs
Mthembu has described the situation as appalling.
"We will report the matter to the Human Rights Commission and we will be coming back here with the commission. There is also a serious case of not assisting those people in terms of claiming claim their land. We are going to help these tenants to ensure that they claim what belongs to them," he said.