Zille seeks army to quell any potential farm violence

Warning:

This article may contain graphic and/or adult content unsuitable for minors and sensitive readers.

Read the article

Western Cape premier Helen Zille has put a formal request to government for the army to be deployed in a peace-keeping capacity in farming hotspots.

Zille's request followed reported warnings by Cosatu's Western Cape leader, Tony Ehrenreich, of a "low level civil war" in farming areas of the Western Cape.

She says she has also asked the Western Cape police commissioner to support her request.

Zille says her appeal for the army to step in comes in the context of Labour Minister, Mildred Oliphant, saying that government will not meet the December 4 deadline to review the current minimum wage agreement for farm workers.

"In making this statement, Minister Oliphant effectively repudiated her Cabinet colleague, Agriculture Minister Tina Joemat-Pettersson, who had promised farmworkers that a new minimum wage would be set by December 4. As a result of this promise, COSATU called off the illegal strike," Zille said.

She says "Minister Oliphant’s announcement has exposed the depth of conflict within the ANC over this issue and increased the threat of a new wave of violent strikes."