South Africa: West Cape workers plan mass strike

Plans to intensify the farm workers' strike in the Western Cape are on the cards if government does not increase their minimum daily wage.

Farm workers across the province intend to embark on mass action on 4 December if an agreement for a R150 rand wage a day is not reached.

Many of the workers are currently earning an average of R70 (6 Euro) a day.

An increase of R10 by employers was rejected by the workers, which would have pushed their salaries to around R80 a day.

Several towns have been affected by the recent violent strikes.

Roads have been blocked, vineyards torched and shops looted.

United Democratic Front head Mario Wanza says farm workers want to earn a decent living wage.

“Communities will be shut down on 4 December. The towns in the rural areas will all be shut down and we will be mobilising people in Cape Town to join the strike.”

Wanza says workers don't plan to back down from their demands.

“This is going to be one of the biggest strikes to happen because the people are fed up and they want to bring an end to the suffering.”