Because of topography and costs, most South African sugarcane growers harvest by hand. The work is hard, dirty and semi-skilled. Few South Africans want to do it, but foreigners are willing.
By Lloyd Phillips, senior journalist at African Farming and Landbouweekblad
However, anti-foreigner protests in sugarcane areas of KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga have driven many foreign cane cutters away or forced them to flee.
Pratish Sharma, a sugarcane grower in KwaZulu-Natal’s Maidstone district and a vice-chairperson of the South African Sugarcane Growers’ Association, says the sector faces an estimated 30% labour shortfall now that foreign cane cutters are gone.
“We’re well into this year’s milling season and many growers are struggling to get their harvest-ready crops cut efficiently for delivery to the mills. There are significant knock-on impacts. Unharvested mature cane starts losing quality. This means lower income for both the growers and the millers.
“Reduced or slower cane deliveries also mean the mills aren’t crushing at optimal capacity. All these impacts eventually impact the entire sugar industry.”
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Highly politicised issue
A sugarcane grower in KwaZulu-Natal’s Amatikulu district who spoke anonymously, says “this is a highly politicised issue that is being dealt with at an industry level.
“There are the odd harvesting contractors who have experienced difficulties, but this is geographic in nature.”
Sharma explains Mozambican nationals have long featured as cane cutters in Mpumalanga, Zululand and the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. Malawian nationals have been common as cane cutters along the KwaZulu-Natal north coast up to about the Tugela River.
“Along the south coast and in the Northern Pondoland area of the Eastern Cape, it’s mainly South African cane cutters.”
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‘H-2A’ visas for SA?
The South African Farmers’ Development Association (SAFDA) represents the interests of about 24 000 small-scale sugarcane growers, most of whom are black.
Sifiso Mnguni, SAFDA’s chief executive officer, says his association has not yet received reports of disruptions to sugarcane farming operations due to the anti-foreigner movement.
However, he believes there may be a need to look at special dispensation for seasonal labour from other countries in the Southern African Development Community, if the availability of South African cane cutters falls short.
Mnguni says even the USA does this. “The US government has an H-2A visa that allows American farmers to temporarily employ seasonal workers to supplement local labour.”
“SAFDA would recommend collaboration between South Africa’s government departments responsible for labour, agriculture and home affairs to ensure immigration and labour laws are consistently enforced while supporting domestic agricultural productivity.
According to Mnguni, SAFDA recommends government’s labour, agriculture and home affairs departments work together to consistently enforce immigration laws while supporting South Africa’s agricultural productivity.
“Greater investment in rural skills development, employment programmes and efficient administrative processes would also strengthen the sector and reduce uncertainty for both employers and employees.”
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