Farmworkers march to demand a ban on harmful pesticides

Dozens of farmworkers sang struggle songs as they marched to the German Consulate in Cape Town yesterday, carrying placards that read: ‘Don’t poison us, ‘Ban harmful pesticides’, and ‘End double standards’.

Women on Farms Project (WFP) and Oxfam South Africa organised the march. Lebogang Ramafoko, executive director of Oxfam South Africa, said she and the farm workers want German pesticide producers to stop exporting toxic farm pesticides to South Africa. “We want Germany to ban the export of 67 highly hazardous pesticides that have been banned in Europe because they are not safe for farm workers, farmers and for the produce in Europe,” she said.

Ramafoko said the farm workers suffer from many illnesses because they handle these banned pesticides without protective gear. “We are also human. What is not good for people and for the farm workers in Europe is surely not good for Africans,” she said

Ramafoko called for Germany to stop applying double standards in the pesticide trade. “We cannot have apartheid on pesticides. If Germany can find those pesticides dangerous for Europeans, why are they brought to South Africa?’’

Colette Solomon, WFP director, said: “We are also asking the German government to play a leadership role within Europe to ensure there is a Europe-wide legislation that bans the production and use of highly hazardous pesticides.”

Elizabeth Nyembe, a De Doorns farmworker, said farmers spray their plantations with pesticides while the workers are busy working without protective gear. “The pesticides go with the wind and reach us. As a result, we get sick,” she said.

There is is no compensation for occupational injury on farms. Nyembe said farm workers pay doctors out of their own pockets when dangerous pesticides make them sick. “A farm worker pays R300 to get medical treatment when she or he gets sick. Farm owners don’t give us money to pay doctors,” she said. “Doctors tell us we are sick because of the pesticides when we consult them.”

Matheko Mohobo, a Rawsonville farm worker, said the pesticides cause women vaginal and sinus infections and asthma. “Because our toilets are far, we defecate on open fields. We get vaginal infections when we defecate on farm land that has been sprayed with pesticides,” she said. “If they spray on the farm land while you are pregnant, you can lose your baby.”

WFP started to campaign against the use of banned pesticides on farms in 2019. “While we lobby our government, we believe that the German government also has a responsibility given that a number of the major international pesticide producers have their global headquarters in Germany,” says WFP.

Farm workers get exposed to pesticides “when they are forced to re-enter vineyards soon after pesticides have been sprayed.” WFP also says they get exposed to pesticides because they have no water to flush the chemicals from their clothes.

“We observe with great concern that the German government still has not implemented the export ban of pesticides prohibited for use in the European Union.” A union treaty requires all member states to pass legislation banning the production and export of prohibited pesticides and pesticide active ingredients. The WFP calls upon Gemany to lead “a generalised legislation ban for the entire European Union”. By so doing, Germany will reduce “the ability of multi-national agrochemical companies to circumvent individual national legislation and export bans”.

The memorandum stipulates that the German Consulate must meet Women on Farms Project, Oxfam Germany and Oxfam South Africa by 15 October to detail its “plans and timelines to meet the demands”. Helmut Wolfgang Schulz, German Consulate office manager, received the memorandum on behalf of the consulate. “The demands will be processed,” he said.