Johannesburg - At least 2 000 farmworkers were issued with
retrenchment notices on Wednesday, Business Day reported on Thursday.
This comes as mechanisation on farms gathers
pace, and as the agricultural sector shed jobs ahead of the
implementation of a new minimum wage.
The paper reported analysts warning that thousands more
would be lost when the new wage comes into effect at the beginning of next
month.
Agricultural Machinery Association secretary Jim Rankin
told Business Day he expected farmers to look more closely at
mechanisation "in the light of the last six months" - during which
workers went on strike and unions demanded big pay rises - but said the process
"started a long time ago".
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