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by Riëtte Rust
"It is a crime to rob someone of a voice ... and its legacy is the ongoing social felonies of today," says Nosey Pieterse, chairman of Bawsi (Black Association of the Wine and Spirit Industry).
"Farm workers should be able to join unions and organisations so that their rights, as contained in the constitution and in accordance with labour legislation, might be consummated. Only then will these social felonies be wiped out."
Pieterse was approached to comment on the fact that the infamous tot system once again made headlines following a controversial article in a prominent American news journal, who blames it for social felonies among farm workers in the Cape winelands, especially the high occurrence of fetal alcohol syndrome.
The author, a certain Jeff Glasser of the US News & World Report, cites various "case studies" of individual farm workers in Paarl, Wellington and Stellenbosch living in deplorable conditions of poverty and alcoholism in a comprehensive article entitled "Circle of Shame".
Their hopeless, pathetic lifestyle is depicted in dramatic terms, with heart-rending quotations ? as in the case of a female farm worker sitting in her cottage close to Stellenbosch. She gestures towards the leaking roof and broken widows. "In these circumstances," she says, "who would not drink?"
Glaser does not convey that alcohol is but a drop in the ocean of social felonies. The tot system has been illegal since 1963, and according to official statistics, it currently occurs on 1,4% of wine farms only.
Community leaders in the wine industry say the cause of the social conditions on farms is far more complex than the effect of the tot system. Approximately 50 000 farm workers (although more than 300 000 are included as dependants) who are involved in the South African wine industry do not have a voice. On the whole, farm workers are excluded everywhere, inter alia from the wine industry's decision making structures and from transport, health, sport and educational budgets. Also lacking is an established organisation that can give them a united voice.
Ockie Bosman, secretary of the Western Cape farm workers' association, says: "Social exclusion is a process in terms of which certain people and their environments are excluded from opportunities, status, power and privileges available to others. This contributes not only to inequality and material poverty, but also to developmental problems that may hamper the farm worker's social, economic and physical development. This in turn may give rise to misconduct such as alcohol abuse."
According to Dr Christa van Louw, head of the Foundation for Empowerment through Afrikaans (FEA), farm workers are victims of a sick system. The previous political dispensation did not allow them to make choices or decisions, she says. "Since they have no knowledge of the outside world and did not develop a critical eye or ear, some of them are victims of social decay. Alcohol abuse is but one of the problems. Others are a bleak future, lack of expectations and low self-esteem," she says.
Prof Andrienetta Kritzinger of the Sociology Department at the Stellenbosch University says it is therefore essential to empower farm workers. They must also be allowed to serve in the applicable structures of their respective agricultural industries. "Others who do not share their experience and requirements, cannot speak on their behalf." Dr Van Louw agrees. "Empowered people are strong. And the stronger the workers, the stronger the product. Eventually the wine industry will benefit, especially with regard to production."
But what are the requirements of the farm workers? According to a comprehensive study by the then Rural Foundation, farm workers are in need of their own and improved housing, better education, sufficient health services and also recreational facilities.
These shortcomings play a significant role when looking at the risk factors for social problems. As far as alcohol abuse is concerned, other factors also come into play, such as insufficient knowledge of responsible consumption, heredity, poverty, illiteracy and inadequate wages, says Nosey.
As regards the risk factors for fetal alcohol syndrome, a cerebral and/or physical defect with which 60 out of 1 000 babies (according to a rural study) are born, there are also other issues to consider. So says Dr Chan Makan, executive director of the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA). These include malnourishment, low self-esteem, multiple pregnancies in mothers who have FAS babies, smoking and "binge drinking".
A close look at the needs of the farm workers reveals the following: Research shows that 25 to 30% of children in rural areas are malnourished. Malnourishment affects the development of a child and he becomes part of the vicious circle.
Government health services are insufficient. A farm worker puts it thus: "The clinic visits once a month. That means we are allowed to get ill only every fourth Tuesday." The day clinics and other hospitals are usually far. Some farms have their own health workers, but not all farmers can afford this.
Farm schools are in dire straits, says Piet Waterboer of Ceres, chairman of the Agri-schools Witzenberg Community Forum. "These schools are often excluded from the planning by the Department of Education. A Directorate of Education and a customised curriculum should be created for these schools, since the social conditions of the farm kids also demand attention."
The curriculum should make provision for the child who does well academically, but also for one who is good with his or her hands and may eventually be able to do farm work," says Waterboer. "Children who do not complete their school curriculum do not know how to prune a tree either. They become the government's burden."
Several projects are being executed, however. To cite a few: The Western Cape government and municipalities are working towards an integrated development plan (IDP), which includes educational programmes and is being applied everywhere in the country.
The Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR) has initiated 17 projects in conjunction with local and international bodies. The eventual goal of their research is a workable model, aimed at the prevention of FAS. The SA Wine Industry Trust, an empowerment organisation, and the wine industry made a generous financial contribution.
With regard to alcohol abuse, FARR and ARA offer various preventative programmes on farms.
Bawsi aims at the political, economic and social empowerment of farm workers. They become part of the decision making structures in the wine industry, inter alia. New black farmers are established and farmers and farm workers enter into partnerships so that the workers may acquire shares in farms. Health services include campaigns against AIDS, TB, FAS and teenage pregnancies. Post-school training projects are also undertaken.
Various owners of wine farms, such as Saamwerk Boerdery (Vredendal); Weltevrede Wine Estate (Bonnievale); Nooitgedacht (Swellendam) and Thandi Wines (Elgin) make land available to their workers. The soil is cultivated for their own benefit, sometimes wine is even made.
Simonsig Estate near Stellenbosch, whose workers were involved in the Glasser report, has its own community development programme, Reach for Gold. Workers are trained in, inter alia, life skills, conflict handling, the prevention of alcohol abuse, AIDS and the prevention of teenage pregnancies. There is also a crèche and care centre. Sports teams were created. Farm labourers grow their own vegetables on a section of the farm. This year approximately R750 000 was spent on home improvements. Francois Malan, director, says opportunities for farm workers are important. One of their kids has turned out to be a winemaker!
Simonsig expressed their incredulity at the "selective" and "antagonistic" reporting in a strongly worded media release, especially in the light of their leading role in the advancement of farm workers. If anyone still used the tot system, they would like to know who these parties were so that the problem could be eradicated once and for all. FAS, says the media release, is a much bigger, national problem, not exclusively related to the wine industry.
Nor can it be solved overnight.
The Overhex area near Worcester has various actions in the planning stages, but co-ordination is lacking, says Nico de Wet, chairman of the Overhex Farmers Association. Farmers are working in conjunction with the Departments of Health, Welfare and Education. While some farm workers are being trained as health workers, others also learn how to run a farm crèche. Farm workers are collaborating with the Worcester Police Forum to offer first aid courses and with Nicro to hold workshops for abused women.
At Graham Beck Wines near Robertson, the development of their people is a priority, says Magda Vorster, human resources manager. The farm has, inter alia, a full-time youth worker who is involved in a preschool and afternoon care centre. Children learn about life skills and leisure activities. There is also a woman's club. The community committee arranges activities such as choir performances, sports days and video evenings. A full-time builder is responsible for maintenance on workers' cottages, all of which are equipped with electricity and warm water. If farm workers have problems with alcohol, they are referred to the Toevlug Rehabilitation Centre in Worcester.
The Foundation for Empowerment through Afrikaans offers literacy programmes on farms. These are aimed at preschoolers as well as adults. The approach is holistic, says Dr van Louw: "Farm workers learn more than words, they learn to read the world."
Themes include AIDS, responsible consumption of alcohol, healthy eating habits, human rights, empowerment of women and viticulture. Specific requirements are taken into account, such as exam preparation for a learner's licence. Financial management is another theme.
The most important dividend of the programme is that farm workers understand the dangers of alcohol abuse, which has decreased by 75%. The programme also has other advantages, says Dr van Louw: Since farm workers have started reading the newspaper, their concept of the world outside has broadened. Children no longer stay away from school unnecessarily. Some of them are top achievers who study with bursaries. More than anything, farm workers' body language has been transformed from apologising for being alive to self-confidence, she says.
The solution to the farm workers' problems appears to be extremely complex. However, there are lots of steps and initiatives in the right direction, such as the empowerment programme. According to Dr van Louw, "Empowerment gives farm workers control over their lives so that they are able to determine for themselves in which direction they are heading."
The tot system must be wiped out altogether. Johan Gelderblom, Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Tourism and Gambling, makes a "serious appeal" to farmers to reveal the names of offenders. The problem will then be investigated in conjunction with organised agriculture and guilty parties will not be shown any mercy.
The projects of the thousands of non-government organisations must be co-ordinated in one encompassing body. "This body will also have to offer co-ordinated and integrated information programmes and development opportunities," says Ockie. Farm workers are currently confused by the large number of organisations whose projects overlap. Farm worker communities will also have to become united so that they can speak with one voice.
The money, expertise and tested models that can improve the quality of life of farm workers will have to be applied correctly, says Ockie. As far as money is concerned, the wine industry pays R2 000 million annually in excise and VAT alone. "Surely some of this money should be applied to the farm worker's benefit."
The National Development Agency, which was generously funded by the previous dispensation, should fund the non-government organisations involved in developmental work. In addition, the SA Wine Industry Trust had about R9 million at its disposal last year, specifically for empowerment projects, but of that only 50% was used.
KWV chairman, Lourens Jonker, sees the farm worker's problems as "particularly complex, with the result that they can only be solved in a co-ordinated manner and with the collaboration of the authorities (especially with regard to housing and schooling), non-government organisations and the industry structures in the wine industry."
Meanwhile KWV International, the company's export arm, once again confirmed that their suppliers of grapes and wine are contractually bound to healthy labour practices and that they are not allowed to participate in practices such as the tot system. By so doing, contracts will be cancelled without further ado.
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Report by Riëtte Rust, based on conversations with community leaders after a debacle about alcoholism among farm workers and the tot system which is still being blamed for the high occurrence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
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