South African Farm Workers Rally for Transparency in Pesticide Regulations

In a direct appeal for improved conditions and regulations, around 70 farm workers and members of organizations representing their interests gathered outside the South African Parliament in Cape Town. The protesters, united in their demand for greater transparency and consultation on pesticide regulations, expressed their discontent on Friday, highlighting a longstanding issue within the agricultural sector.

Colette Solomon, who leads the Women on Farms Project, criticized the process for its lack of inclusiveness, stating that farm workers and dwellers have been left out of critical discussions that directly impact their health and livelihoods. This protest marks a continuation of the advocacy work against opaque regulatory measures concerning pesticide use.

Previously, the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, which has since been divided into distinct departments, had issued guidelines enabling exemptions for certain pesticide applications. This development has prompted concerns about both environmental and human health among the farm workers.

John Steenhuisen, the newly appointed Minister of Agriculture from the Democratic Alliance (DA), was targeted by the protesters due to the party’s stances on national minimum wage policies and their leaning towards free market principles. However, Steenhisen, having taken oath only days prior to the demonstration, invited the aggrieved parties for a dialogue, emphasizing his willingness to maintain an open door policy.

The plight of seasonal farm workers was brought into the spotlight by Nicolene McGee, who has experienced firsthand the risks associated with working in vineyards sprayed with pesticides without adequate protective gear. With employment that is precarious at best, seasonal workers like McGee face significant hardships that are exacerbated by what they perceive as insufficient wage levels.

Backing the farm workers' concerns was Vainola Makan from the Surplus People’s Project, who highlighted the violation of farm workers' right to health, emphasizing the absence of a genuine platform for dialogue with those most directly affected by the use of agrochemicals.

The protest saw a diverse group of supporting organizations, including the African Centre for Biodiversity and the Commercial, Stevedoring, Agricultural and Allied Workers Union. These groups collectively denounced the draft regulations concerning hazardous chemical agents of the Occupational Health and Safety Act, a legislation that falls under the Department of Employment and Labour.

The rally outside the legislative capitol of South Africa underscored the pressing need for a balanced approach in agriculture that safeguards workers' rights and health while regulating the use of potentially harmful pesticides.