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Media Advisory: The SAHRC Northern Cape Provincial Office to engage key stakeholders to address occupational health and safety challenges on farm workers

20 September 2023

Attention: Editors and Reporters

Farm workers play an important role in the agricultural sector, contributing significantly to food production and food security as well as the economy of our country. However, despite their essential contributions, farm workers often face alarming occupational health and safety challenges that demand immediate attention and intervention.

These challenges include:

  • Unsafe Working Conditions: Farm workers frequently encounter hazardous working conditions that put their lives and well-being in danger. These conditions encompass exposure to toxic chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizers, inadequate protective gear, and improper handling of potentially dangerous machinery. Such circumstances increase the risk of accidents, injuries, and long-term health issues among farm workers.
  • Lack of Training: Many farm workers receive inadequate training in occupational health and safety practices. This knowledge gap leaves them ill-prepared to identify and mitigate potential risks, increasing their vulnerability to workplace accidents and injuries.
  • Inadequate Medical Care: Access to timely and comprehensive medical care for work-related injuries and illnesses remains a significant challenge for farm workers. Delays in medical attention and insufficient compensation for medical expenses have a direct impact on their health outcomes and financial stability.
  • Insufficient Oversight: While regulatory frameworks and guidelines exist to ensure occupational health and safety in agricultural sector, the enforcement and oversight mechanisms have proven insufficient. This inadequacy has allowed unsafe practices to persist, posing risks to farm workers' lives and well-being.

Addressing these challenges is not only a matter of upholding the fundamental rights and dignity of farm workers but also essential for the overall sustainability of our agricultural sector. Farm workers deserve a safe and healthy working environment that respects their rights and ensures their well-being.

 

It is against this background that the Commission will be conducting an engagement with key stakeholders scheduled to take place as follows:

 

Date      : Thursday, 21 September 2023

Time     : 09:00 AM to 13:00 PM

Venue   : Sweet Dreams Guesthouse (21 Finis Road, Verwoerdpark), Kimberley

 

Ends

 

Prepared by the Northern Cape Provincial Office of the South African Human Rights Commission.

For further information contact Mr. Anthony Wyngaard, Acting Provincial Manager, at Tel: 054 332 3993 / Cell: 074 134 6972; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Mr. Buyisile July, Advocacy and Research Consultant at Tel: 054 332 3993 / Cell: 072 949 7578; Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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