Forest+workers+get+R20+a+day,+Daily+Dispatch

Forest workers get R20 a day =**SOUTH AFRICAN forestry labourers are paid as little as R20 a day.**= The shocking statistics were revealed to delegates at the first forestry sector empowerment charter workshop, held in East London yesterday. "The issue of labourers getting paid between R20 and R22 per day is of major concern to us," said Thami Zimu, a South Coast sugarcane and timber farmer, who spoke on behalf of contractors. "The broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) charter should seek to give guidelines on how to avoid this." She said the low labourers' wages were largely due to the very low rate at which sub-contractors were paid by major contractors. One participant said it was unfortunate that the major contractors in the forestry sector were not part of the public hearings. "If they were here we would detail to them the great pain and abuse that we, including women and the youth, endure while working as labourers in rural areas. "A number of women are loaded on the back of trucks and are ill-treated, while getting low wages," said the ORTambo representative.
 * Daily Dispatch, 13 September**
 * By ZINE GEORGE**

Zimu, the Agriculture Department's national Female Farmer of the Year 2004 and who has more than 1000 hectares of timber, said there were unequal power relations between sub-contractors and major contractors. She said this was a key cause of problems in the sector and that it could be related to the state's high outsourcing rate. "About 90 percent of all forestry activities are outsourced," said Zimu. Water Affairs and Forestry Minister Bulelwa Sonjica suggested in April that the department draw up a BBBEE charter as a guide for the forestry industry. Yesterday's workshop was part of the consultative meetings with stakeholders in the forestry sector. The Department of Water Affairs and Forestry manager for policy and regions, Barbara Schreiner, said Eastern Cape problems included the need for major restructuring of state-owned assets, and the dominance of men in the sector. Zimu said there were about twice as many men as women in the sector. Schreiner said new foresters needed to be brought in and small contractors given enough support to make them viable. The Eastern Cape workshop was the first of three nationally. "We are going to hold similar hearings in Durban and Nelspruit and come back here in November. "We want to receive clear guidance on what should be included in this charter," said Schreiner.
 * From: http://www.dispatch.co.za/2005/09/13/Easterncape/dpay.html