A group of disgruntled Cape fishermen spent the entire Sunday night chained to Parliament’s gates in a protest against fishing policies, a union leader said.
One of the demonstrators, Anthony Johnston, fell ill and was taken home, Western Cape secretary of the Congress of SA Trade Unions, Tony Ehrenreich said on Monday.
Johnston is the spokesperson for the Artisanal Fishers Association of South Africa.
The fishermen contend that the proposed new fishing policies recently unveiled by Environment Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk amounted to ”subtle genocide”.
”What the fishermen are hoping for is that the minister resigns and that the President will announce measures which will involve proper consultation with the men.”
About 50 fishermen chained themselves to a gates at one of the entrances to Parliament on Sunday afternoon, said Ehrenreich.
Johnston said on Sunday that some impoverished fishermen along the West Coast were even selling their children into prostitution in a bid to survive.
The policy, released for public comment two months ago, will give a variety of long term fishing rights to business and large and small companies the right to harvest a range of fish species.
The fishermen called for Van Schalkwyk’s resignation, saying government’s policy will be ”the final nail in the coffin” for fishing communities.
Peter Visser, Food and Allied Workers Union’s Western Cape regional secretary, said the minister had ignored agreements reached at the Growth and Development Summit and had a ”disregard for collective bargaining”.
The fishermen, supported by the Congress of SA Trade Union, are calling for a moratorium on moves to put any new policy pronouncements into effect.
Cosatu, in a memorandum, also called for a detailed impact study to be undertaken on the past and future impact of fishing policy in South Africa. – Sapa