WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2009-03-04 Time: 23:00:02 Posted By: JoAn
04/03/2009 20:12
Polokwane – Farmers have not ruled out retrenchments following the 13% wage increase for farm workers across the country that came into effect on March 1.
“Retrenchments aren't our first option but with the economic downturn and the lack of support from government, we might not have a choice,” said National African Farmers Union chairperson Motshatsha Gondo.
He said farmers couldn't rely on farming as a means of living anymore, with hundreds of farmers crippled by mounting debt and a worsening global economy.
He said increasing production costs were making it difficult for South African farmers to sell their produce to foreign buyers.
John Masilela, who owns a 10 hectare sugar cane farm near Komatipoort in Mpumalanga, said the wage increase will affect him financially.
“I have 10 labourers who I will now have to pay R6.31 per hour. At R1 231.70 a month per worker I will be paying out almost R13 000 on salaries,” said Masilela, who started farming in 2000.
He is afraid the wage increase will cripple him and he will be forced to retrench workers.
Chairperson of the Transvaal Agricultural Union, Jan Viljoen, criticised the Minister of Labour, Membathisi Mdladlana, for not having consulted agricultural unions before deciding on the increase.
“It's almost as if the minister lives on some kind of island isolated from the destructive reality of poverty and unemployment,” said Viljoen.
He said government should consider subsidising farm workers' salaries.
The new rate is R6.31 per hour, which also applies to teenage farm workers aged between 15 and 18 who work for less than 35 hours a week, and applies to workers uniformly across all nine provinces.
Charles Machethe, an agricultural economist at the University of Pretoria, said farmers who were already struggling to survive now face an even bigger challenge.
“While it is understandable that farm workers need to be paid more, the farmers will not be able to afford the increases, resulting in job losses,” said Machethe..
African Eye
Source: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_2479892,00.html