Cosatu Western Cape has learned with great shock about another accident that happened on Monday 20 June 2022 on the R45 Road near Klapmuts. Thirty-five (35) farmworkers were injured when the truck they were travelling in overturned. This is another huge accident since the last accident on Monday 04 January 2021 near Worcester, which took the lives of three farmworkers.

Government and Farm Owners has done nothing to protect the vulnerable farmworkers who must travel every day in these dangerous conditions. How many people must die before the Farmers, Provincial and National Government intervene to ensure that farmworkers are treated as human beings and being transported in safe modes of transport.

Cosatu is calling on the Minister of Employment and Labour to ban the transportation of farmworkers on trucks. We are also calling on the Law Enforcement Agencies to thoroughly investigate this matter to ensure that justice be served. Cosatu is also calling on the Farm Owner to look after the families of the injured farm workers and that they be paid in full while at home due to injuries sustained in the accident.

Cosatu wishes all the injured farmworkers a speedy recovery.

We once again call on the Human Rights Commission to investigate this matter, because we are of the view that the rights of the farmworkers have been infringed.

Cosatu will be monitoring the situation closely and the matter will be discussed at our next PEC Meeting and Alliance Meeting respectively to discuss a campaign against these irresponsible farmworkers and Government including the Provincial Government.

We will also explore the option of engaging our lawyers to investigate the possibility of instituting civil claims on behalf of the farmworkers.

For questions, please call Malvern De Bruyn on – 060 977 9027

                                           Motlatsi Tsubane on –     074 482 6180