News / National
SA kidnap farmer owes Zimbabwe employees R1,6 million
10 May 2016 at 07:21hrs | Views
A South African farmer from Limpopo province who is charged with assaulting and kidnapping Zimbabwean workers and firing 300 others in August last year for demanding overtime wages, allegedly owes them about R1,6 million.
His case has been moved from Villa Nora to Liphalale Magistrate court for trial on August 25.
T J Van der Walt has allegedly been underpaying the workers for over 10 years.
He is accused of forcing the Zimbabweans to work for up to 18 hours from 6am to 11pm and paying them R70 instead of the government stipulated R103 for an eight hour daily shift.
Police have charged Van der Walt, the proprietor of Johannesburg Farm in Liphalale area and nine top managers with assault and kidnapping of the Zimbabweans.
The farmer is also being charged by the Department of Home Affairs for employing illegal immigrants. The department of labour has also filed a charge of labour exploitation.
A spokesperson for Limpopo province's Department of Labour, Lerato Makomene, said Van der Walt was taken to court after he refused to pay the money he owes the workers.
"All the charges including criminal and violating labour and immigration laws have been combined. He'll be tried on August 25 and we'll take further action against him depending on the verdict from the court," said Makomene.
"We've tried to bring him to the round table without success and hence we had to resort to legal action."
The expelled workers' spokesperson who is a former foreman at the farm, Thembani Ndlovu, said the Department of Labour was representing workers in the matter.
"The Department of Labour is assisting us in ensuring that justice prevails and that Van der Walt pays the money he owes us. We're very grateful for the assistance we're getting from organisations that include the Zimbabwe Consulate here," he said.
Ndlovu said most of the victims dispersed from the Water Base Disaster Management centre when 36 others were deported to Zimbabwe after becoming stranded.
He said they were still in contact with those who had been sent home and that they will be paid their money through the Zimbabwe Consulate as soon as the matter was finalised.
"Other members of the group are spread across South Africa and have started seeking employment opportunities in other towns. We're constantly in touch.
"You'll note that most of the workers have been employed at the farm for over 10 years. Van der Walt is the one who processed their work permits though most of these have expired," said Ndlovu.
His case has been moved from Villa Nora to Liphalale Magistrate court for trial on August 25.
T J Van der Walt has allegedly been underpaying the workers for over 10 years.
He is accused of forcing the Zimbabweans to work for up to 18 hours from 6am to 11pm and paying them R70 instead of the government stipulated R103 for an eight hour daily shift.
Police have charged Van der Walt, the proprietor of Johannesburg Farm in Liphalale area and nine top managers with assault and kidnapping of the Zimbabweans.
The farmer is also being charged by the Department of Home Affairs for employing illegal immigrants. The department of labour has also filed a charge of labour exploitation.
A spokesperson for Limpopo province's Department of Labour, Lerato Makomene, said Van der Walt was taken to court after he refused to pay the money he owes the workers.
"We've tried to bring him to the round table without success and hence we had to resort to legal action."
The expelled workers' spokesperson who is a former foreman at the farm, Thembani Ndlovu, said the Department of Labour was representing workers in the matter.
"The Department of Labour is assisting us in ensuring that justice prevails and that Van der Walt pays the money he owes us. We're very grateful for the assistance we're getting from organisations that include the Zimbabwe Consulate here," he said.
Ndlovu said most of the victims dispersed from the Water Base Disaster Management centre when 36 others were deported to Zimbabwe after becoming stranded.
He said they were still in contact with those who had been sent home and that they will be paid their money through the Zimbabwe Consulate as soon as the matter was finalised.
"Other members of the group are spread across South Africa and have started seeking employment opportunities in other towns. We're constantly in touch.
"You'll note that most of the workers have been employed at the farm for over 10 years. Van der Walt is the one who processed their work permits though most of these have expired," said Ndlovu.
Source - chronicle
