Bloemfontein -
Operations at a potato farm in Bainsvlei, outside Bloemfontein,
have been suspended after its workers were found working under
unsafe conditions, the Free State labour department said on Friday.
Spokesperson Wisani Mavasa said in a statement that a team of
provincial labour inspectors led by Marsha Bronkhorst visited the
Saaiman Boerdery farm on Friday.
The team, which included the Mangaung municipality's
environmental health unit and the Human Rights Commission, issued
prohibition notices on the use of all sorting and packaging
machinery at the farm.
The farmer, who employs about 50 workers, was issued with
various notices of the contravention of the Occupational Health and
Safety Act.
These included notices for not providing proper personal
p
rotective equipment to all workers and not having a valid
certificate of compliance for electrical installations.
The notices were valid until the farmer conducted proper
induction training for workers in using the machines.
All the dangerous machines were safeguarded as per the
Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Bronkhorst said: "We are not going to allow situations where an
employer puts his profit before the well-being of the workers."
"In this case it is obvious that the employer has not even tried
to put anything in place in the interest of his workers' health and
safety," she said.
"As the department of labour, we have to demonstrate strong
intolerance of each and every employer who refuses to obey the
law," said Bronkhorst.
The labour team also found that the farmer has disregarded the
Basic Conditions of the Employment Act's Sectoral Determination for
Farm Workers and was paying his workers salaries less than that
stipulated in the legislation.
There were no contracts of employment and copies of pay slips or
any other records available at the farm business.
Farm workers also did not have proper sleeping and ablution
facilities, and food provided to them "was not of an acceptable
standard".
The farmer was ordered to comply with the legislation within 21
days or face the full might of the law.
- Sapa