What is MEC Gerrit van Rensburg afraid to find on farms?
The double standard DA has once more demonstrated that it does not mean what it says, declares the ANC in the Western Cape.
One day Western Cape agriculture MEC Gerrit van Rensburg very confidently called for evidence of human rights abuse and exploitation on farms in the province and the next he declines to go with groups to see who uncovered just that. Documentary evidence and reports indicates various forms of abuse farmworkers in this industry suffer at the hands of those they help to profit.
The ANC says Van Rensburg ran away from a challenge to inspect farms first hand where abuse where recorded. This comes in the face of more and more evidence confirming the experience of farmworkers. It is also clear that the provincial government refuse to move on recommendations to rectify the real abuse. Instead, the DA questions the reports and report writer's methods, without proving any inaccuracy.
"Now Van Rensburg runs away from the very poor and vulnerable people he professes to care about. He turns down an opportunity to be shown the evidence he calls for. The ANC is intensely disappointed by the DA MEC's response. It is clear that this MEC has no regard for human rights issues or a commitment to get first-hand information and evidence.
"Instead he sides against the workers and attacks the poor once more. It is no wonder that the MEC sides with farmers as he is in fact a farmer and a farmer representative as he holds the position of honorary president of Agri Wes-Kaap, a farmers' union advancing farmer interests.
"The MEC now makes an empty call to workers who suffer abuse to report it to him in an affidavit. This is ridiculous as the MEC is not a designated investigating agency and why should a person aggrieved by a farmer turn to a representative of the same interest group to complain to?
"The MEC goes outside his mandate by calling on people to report abuse to him. Who does he think he is? They should report abuse and exploits at the police," says Ms Ellen Prins, ANC spokesperson on agriculture and rural development in the provincial legislature.
The ANC says MEC Van Rensburg does not believe there is abuse taking place as he questioned and criticised the recent report by Human Rights Watch without paying attention to the findings. He instead said: ‘If there is abuse...' and later added it may only be ‘a few rotten apples in the basket'.
More and more evidence is growing that abuse and exploit on Western Cape farms occur more frequently than what MEC Van Rensburg wants to admit.
"The ANC will work with national government to expose abuse and exploits which are reported almost daily to its offices and encourage victims to lay criminal charges against perpetrators," Prins adds.
Statement issued by Ms Ellen Prins, ANC spokesperson on agriculture and rural development in the provincial legislature, August 31 2011
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