With two weeks before the national and provincial elections, civic organisations, the government and experts reflect on burning issues in the last five years in terms of service delivery in agriculture.
From crime, health, infrastructure, farmworkers’ rights and general services, there are concerns on how the government has responded to many of the agricultural sector’s needs.
As the country prepares for the seventh elections and celebrating 30 years since the dawn of democracy, the spotlight falls on how agriculture has benefited, especially small-scale farmers and farmworkers in rural communities where agriculture is the backbone of the economy and the only means of survival.
Farmworkers struggle with healthcare
Denile Samuel, labour rights programme coordinator at the Woman on Farms Project, said that farmworkers’ health is at risk by the effects of harmful pesticides utilised in orchards and vineyards, yet the documentation and research on this issue remain inadequate.
“We are inundated with reports from farmworkers detailing the substandard services provided by local clinics and their consequent inability to access proper healthcare.
“Farmworkers have voiced concerns regarding the consistent challenges they face in obtaining their chronic medication every month. Shortages of essential medication further compound their predicament, leaving them without the vital treatment they urgently require. This pertains to mostly women farmworkers whom we work with,” she said.
She believes this lack of access to quality healthcare exacerbates their health issues, leaving them vulnerable to preventable illnesses and exacerbating existing conditions.
“Overall, the health status of farmworkers is precarious, which highlights the urgent need for improved health policies, access to healthcare services, and greater awareness of occupational health risks in agricultural settings.
“The accessibility of government departments for farm employees and inhabitants varies significantly, with notable challenges and deficiencies in certain areas. While some departments strive to provide adequate services, others fall short in ensuring accessibility and addressing the needs of farmworkers effectively,” Samuel said.
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Safety in rural areas
Meanwhile, Gareth Newham, the head of the justice and violence prevention programme from the Institute for Security Studies, said that there has been a reduction in the real budget of the South African Police Service (SAPS) for some years which has been felt in the loss of over 20 000 personnel between 2012 and 2023.
“This has affected all police stations and not only those in rural areas. A vast majority of crime occurs in metropolitan areas and large towns. The decline in police personnel, however, does not adequately explain declines in SAPS effectiveness.
“For example, numbers of detectives have remained relatively stable since 2012, but the ability of the SAPS to solve murders has dropped by over 60% nationally. It means that there are fewer personnel to service those in agriculture with their security requirements,” Newham said.
Water availability for farmers
Wisane Mavasa, the spokesperson for the department of water and sanitation, said that access to water or obtaining a water use right is important and that farmers are not allowed to use water without authorisation.
“The department of water and sanitation (DWS) has improved the water use license applications processes by promulgating regulations that prescribe the information requirements and turnaround times for both applicants and the department,” she said.
She highlighted that the department has automated the application process to allow for submission of applications in an online platform, the Electronic Water Use Licence Application and Authorisation System (E-WULAAS).
“The E-WULAAS is also used for processing of these applications by the department, and it serves as a communication platform between applicants and DWS,” Mavasa said.
Govt responses
Speaking during the last Presidential Imbizo yesterday in Kuruman, Northern Cape, deputy minister of employment and labour Boitumelo Moloi said many provinces workers and farmers were working under severe conditions which has prompted government to take actions.
“We have gone across the country and realised that workers do not receive payslips, personal protective equipment. We still have workers in the Northern Cape who are earning below the minimum wage and are still getting their salaries on an envelope.
“We have issued those companies with enforcement notices; failure to comply we will close their operations,” she said.
Meanwhile, deputy minister of cooperative governance and traditional affairs Parks Tau said it is important for municipalities to engage with communities and farmers on challenges of water provisions and find ways of how to remedy the water challenges in many municipalities.
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