/ 17 September 2000

FARM WORKERS TO MARCH FOR SAFETY

MPUMULANGA farm workers and labour tenants will march to Premier Ndaweni Mahlangu’s office to demand tenure security and protection from commandos and private security companies. March co-ordinator, Mbuyiselo Kona, said farm dwellers lived in constant fear of gross human rights violations which were supported by security forces and the criminal justice system. “The people need justice and human rights now, not tomorrow,” Kona said. He said the state claimed it had no money to enforce farm dwellers’ rights enshrined in the Extension of Security Tenure Act and the Labour Tenants Act, yet it was footing the bill of a South African National Defense Force commando member who faces a R1,4m civil claim for allegedly assaulting a farm worker, Moses Mayisela. Mayisela was sprayed with teargas, which left him permanently blind in 1998 allegedly by Wakkerstroom Commando officer, Barend Greyling. Kona said that another farm worker, Baba Lukhele, 50, was almost killed after he resisted a forced eviction in June. – African Eye News Service