“It is as if Cosatu every now and then realises they need something to get exposure and to gain political support and then decides to make inflammatory statements about something they know their supporters will support, like farmers being murderers, racists and rapists, without thinking of the real consequences it has for farmers,” said Bennie van Zyl, general manager of TLU SA.
TLU SA has decided to draw a line against unfounded and prejudicial statements against farmers and filed a hate speech complaint against Cosatu at the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) on 23 March 2023.
Cosatu issued a national statement on Human Rights Day claiming that farm workers nationwide are being exploited and mistreated. The statement further claims that farmers rape, assault and murder their workers.
“This statement is a terrible generalisation that in any case contains no grounds just to make a political gain at the expense of the good relationship between farmers and their workers,” said Van Zyl. “TLU SA’s position is always that if there is any violation of a law, the legal process must take its course. Where a violation has occurred, a case number should be provided as proof.”
It is completely unacceptable that any institution can make such a generalisation without any substance.
TLU SA demands that Cosatu unconditionally apologise to every farmer in the country and further pay damages of R5 million to victims of farm attacks.
Read about more farm attacks and farm murders here
Read the original article in Afrikaans on TLU SA
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