2.2 Farm workers, farm dwellers, labour tenants and land reform
This Ninth National Congress notes:

1. Twelve years into democracy, farm workers’/dwellers’ access to a better life is still a pipe dream. Farm workers/dwellers and their next of kin continue to be intimidated and brutally killed by farm owners and generally continue to suffer tenure insecurity, poverty, indignity, and even child labour and forced labour.
2. Farm workers and labour tenants have not benefited from land reform, instead facing evictions reminiscent of the apartheid era. The market-based land reform policy of the State cannot benefit the poor majority of rural people.
3. Farm workers and labour tenants face an often indifferent police and judiciary as well as inadequate support from Department of Labour inspectors and other government representatives.

Believing:

1. New policy proposals concerning farm workers’, farm dwellers’ and labour tenants’ housing must include proper participation by those who are directly affected.
2. Organising and servicing farm workers is a mammoth task that needs to be adequately resourced in the light of the difficult terrain of the agricultural sector, ranging from distance and poor roads, to scarce transport, trespass and private property laws, private security etc.
3. Farm workers’ limited union membership is a major factor behind their continued oppression. There are about million farm workers – almost one worker in ten in South Africa – but only about 10% belong to a union.
4. The current recruitment campaign budget should cover or include the organising of farm workers and farm dwellers as part of the 2015 Plan.

Therefore this Ninth National Congress resolves:

1. To roll out a grassroots media campaign, using a widely adopted declaration condemning slavery, indignity, and poverty on farms and in the agribusiness sector.
2. To call for a special Tripartite Alliance Summit to decide on programmes to address the plight of farm workers/dwellers.
3. All affiliates must set aside resources for recruitment campaign in line with previous Congress resolutions. COSATU CEC should make available resources to focus on organising farm workers.
4. To set up a COSATU Campaigns Committee to roll-out an organising plan and campaign strategy, taking into account the ongoing processes of land and agrarian reform and the SACP’s Red October Campaign, with the following elements:

a. The concept of roving health and safety representatives be adopted as a way of improving occupational health and safety on farms in order to complement the work of existing Government inspectors.
b. The transformation of the judiciary and law enforcement agencies through the establishment of an investigating agency against abuses and murders of farm workers and their families.

5. To call on the Department of Labour to speed-up the implementation of a new campaign, with trade unions and civil society, to liberate farm workers as agreed at the meeting on 31 March 2006 concerning the continued sub-ordination and abuse of farm workers. The campaign could have the following items:

a. To reaffirm our commitment to the total elimination of child labour in the agricultural sector;
b. To advocate that the Department of Education defines farm schools as “no-fee schools” and organises adequate scholar transport;
c. To advocate that the Department of Health prioritises farm worker access to mobile clinics and emergency medical treatment, including transport by public and private ambulance services;
d. To advocate that the State expropriate land for the roll out of government services and amenities such as schools and health care facilities, and where appropriate, cemeteries;
e. To ensure that farm workers, farm dwellers and labour tenants have identity documentation, knowledge of, and access to, social grants like child support grants, old-age pensions and disability grants, amongst others;
f. To advocate that government, in partnership with trade unions and civil society, develop and implement a proactive strategy to ensure security of tenure for farm workers, farm dwellers and labour tenants.

6. To call for government to speed up the implementation of a farm worker, farm dweller and labour tenant housing policy that is based on direct and proper consultation with those who are directly affected and a full consideration of the impact of each policy option (e.g. on-farm housing and other proposals).
7. Farm workers and dwellers should have access to basic services and infrastructure.
8. Contribute to the building of popular structures or organs of the rural poor struggling for a comprehensive agrarian reform in the countryside.
9. Call on government to introduce a moratorium on evictions of farm workers and dwellers.
10. Call on government to engage civil society organisations in the land sector and affected communities in a transparent and participatory process to review existing legislation aimed at protecting tenure security of the rural poor, especially women and children.