Journalist tells of attack by farmworkers

2013-01-09 17:32

De Doorns - A journalist told on Wednesday of how how he was assaulted by protesting farmworkers in De Doorns, who also torched his car.

The car, which belonged to Independent Newspapers and was being used by Cape Times journalist Xolani Koyana, was destroyed during a clash between protesters and police.

Koyana told Sapa he had to be pulled from his car to safety after protesters pelted it with stones.

He and an intern reporter were in the car when protesters surrounded them and told them to move.

"I was with another reporter... [and] some people managed to pull him out," Koyana said.

When he got out of the car later, a group of people escorted him to a nearby church.

"Some guys, when I got out [of the car], they hit me."

Koyana said he was in the church when the car was set alight.

Speaking from the De Doorns police station, Koyana said he sustained only a few cuts on his arms.

Police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel André Traut said 44 people were arrested after the farmworkers' strike resumed on Wednesday.

The N1 highway at De Doorns remained closed to traffic on Wednesday afternoon. Protesters blocked the road with rocks and threw stones at the police, who retaliated with rubber bullets.

A police captain was injured in the violence.

"It was not serious. He was treated and released," Traut said.

The strike was suspended last year following an undertaking that negotiations would continue between workers' representatives and individual farmers, but this proved unsuccessful.

Workers wanted their daily wages of R69 increased to R150, and a coherent land reform programme.

At least two people were killed during protests in farming areas between 27 August and 4 December last year.

  • Desilusionada - 2013-01-09 17:41

    Scum. Since when did journalists own farms and paid workers?......

      lownabester - 2013-01-09 17:55

      Christelle, you dont get it, Desilusionada, was refering to the fact, that the journalist was an innocent bystander!!!

      prot.kpax.33 - 2013-01-09 18:23

      Jip the journos has got sweet f-all to do with the wage dispute. How dum are they? You don't attack the media even the dumbest terrorist know this, if you turn on the media they turn on you, and I can assure you that no journo will take their side again, so they can expect only bad articles from them now.

      vark.nek.90 - 2013-01-09 18:35

      .. and I don't see any "indigenous" Boland farmworkers in the photos.

      nico.dejongh.90 - 2013-01-09 20:08

      There is a dark force who intimidate the normal 'plaasvolk' and instigate political hatred with Julius loudly 'kill the boer' ANC tactics to 'posses' all Khoisan land.

  • markus.ippy - 2013-01-09 17:42

    And then if people get shot by police people cry foul . You have the right to strike I give u that . But behavior like that should be treated as what it is : a criminal act .

      avremel.niselow - 2013-01-09 17:53

      The right to strike is only for peaceful strikes. Once they block highways, intimidate other workers and attack people they lose that right.

  • philip.vde - 2013-01-09 17:42

    They didn't learn from the Marikana incident !! Police , take action now instead of warning farmers not to protect themselves as it will not be tolerated .

  • michael.bushes.1 - 2013-01-09 17:46

    I pity people who live in these small rural towns. Their fate is mostly sealed when they are born, namely, to be unskilled/semi skilled farm labourers. Exploitation is rife because the entire town revolves around farming and the farm owners have a stranglehold on the town's economy,i.e. mess with us, and the entire town suffers. Another fact is that SA towns are nothing to even be visited, because you have well off whites living on one side of the town with non whites living in poverty on the other side, you cannot equate them to european towns and villages. What is the solution? When you fight sh-t with sh-t , a river made of sh-t starts to flow. But sharing is a good point to start off with. The land needs to be shared eventually, you cannot keep 10-13% of the country in charge any longer, deal with land reform now before the children of the corn, i.e. malema and co. run wild. Of course, emigrating is the other obvious option and also more sensible

      chris.debeer1 - 2013-01-09 17:59

      there are less than 13% white people after the majority murdered us out now you want us to Share??? just because you can't get any where you self there is a nasty word i would like to call you but news 24 will delete my comment!!!

      rowan.maulson - 2013-01-09 18:07

      Ummm I would like to point to the fact that 10% - 13% do not run the country, but the majority do. Land reform is a mess because of the government and how useless they are, no other reason.

      michael.bushes.1 - 2013-01-09 18:11

      Are you denying that whites never exploited us, raped our forefathers, and attempted a khoisan genocide? They went ahead in life because of mass exploitation of indigenous peoples in their colonies. I tried to get my point across in a very decent manner , but sadly, you had to go all haywire on me, instead of responding in a decent manner. You disappoint me

      koos.vandermerwe.75 - 2013-01-09 18:27

      @michael.bushes.1: Define sharing Michael. You know if you did a little research you’ll find that almost 60% of the land is actually in black hands. Some say even more. When the cANCers go off they lie blatantly about the land issue and with purpose of course. Why do you think South Africa went from a producing economy to a consumption based economy in just a few years? There is a whole lot the cANCers aren't telling you believe me.

      themba.thwala.775 - 2013-01-09 18:37

      How will your coloured siblings who earn R70/day as farmworkers exercise the "obvious option" to emigrate?

      Jaap - 2013-01-09 20:27

      Despite countless opportunities these people strive on the victim and you owe us mentality. The so called boere suffered immensely under British rule. But what happened they did not sit in the sun and waited for somebody somewhere to feed them and to give them jobs, they had to and did reach a better life. The numbers were always distorted, black were always in the majority. It just amazes me that a small minority could pin down the majority and "oppressed" them for such a long time! I have seen some tattoos that say "Born to suffer" maybe it is easier to suffer that to take responsibility for your own well being?

      mark.a.fysh - 2013-01-09 20:33

      Michael. You really need a mindset change here. Why would you want to live your life as a victim. Be in charge of yourself.

  • natoe.matoe - 2013-01-09 17:47

    FFS why are they striking..they dont have any skills.Its like getting paid because you can walk,and now they want more?

  • mashadi.matjila - 2013-01-09 17:47

    Why behave like hooligans? How is assualting innocent people and torching cars going to help their cause? I'm so tired of reading about such behaviour,really I am

      michael.bushes.1 - 2013-01-09 17:53

      Its not unique to south africa as it happens in Zimbabwe as well.

      allarenes173 - 2013-01-09 18:05

      Easy - The powers to be want to make the Western Cape (in the hands of the DA) ungovernable, that was a promise made and they intend keeping it, at the expence of the coungtry

      tommy.jones.754918 - 2013-01-09 18:05

      mbushes, does that make it more justifiable?

      Brian Dorning - 2013-01-09 18:06

      the sad part of it all is that the rest of SA sit back and do nothing. They country as a whole should be putting pressure on the stakeholders to sort this issue out. After all, there animals are toying with our food!!!

      themba.thwala.775 - 2013-01-09 18:39

      michael.bushes, you are saying it is okay to emulate Zimbos. There's too much bush in your head clouding your brain

  • donovan.vorster.1 - 2013-01-09 17:49

    The unions will not stop untill there are more people killed during these protests. Then they will turn around and blame the cops.

      allarenes173 - 2013-01-09 18:02

      My question is - what will happen to those who have been arrested : set free the next day : they should be placed in our overcrowded jails :

  • liezl.haramis.7 - 2013-01-09 18:03

    Like one of our fellow readers, Ray said: Plse carry on striking, make Zim look like a picnic...eish...

  • peter.fraser.92754 - 2013-01-09 18:04

    Shoot to kill.Return violence with violence.Sounds harsh..yes...but these people are violent thugs.They just laugh at a couple of rubber bullits.They think they can do as they one will touch them.

  • mfundoj1 - 2013-01-09 18:05

    This journalist was in the middle of ANGRY protesters, what did he expect to happen? I'm not saying what they did was right to him, but he should known better than to got to close

      charl.malan.12 - 2013-01-09 19:32

      Newsflash, its their job to get close, but thanks for condemning the violence!

      karl.vanrooyen - 2013-01-09 19:45

      Confirms barbarism neeh

  • robert.meyer.967422 - 2013-01-09 18:10

    Earning R69 a day! shocking.How can anyone live off of that.If the farmers cant afford to pay that off wine sales,rip the vineyards out and plant something else.But i believe they can pay that easily.

  • John - 2013-01-09 18:23

    RIOTING is a CRIME! So much as touching another or his private property without his consent is a CRIME! Striking is ONLY the withholding of labour and is one's right.

  • Michael Hawthorne - 2013-01-09 18:34

    Just more proof that the anc en union incite violence at rallies but in public statements which the same mob never even get a chance to read cause many of them can't even after 18 years of transformation sies! People in group are very open to suggstion after being sang and danced into a trance Derren Brown illustrates that pretty clear in his documentary movies. It's time that we acknoledge where the problems are formed. Its time that the union pay up for the damages they are in the frontline they are to control the prostestor. It has been proven many times that peaceful protest are actually more effective. Look at them peeps who chained them to eskom no property damage, small group of protestors. They made the same amount noise as any of the rallies. BUT GOT ARRESTED regardless of it being peaceful. Once again anc to blame. Take resposibility Jacob grow a pair.

  • Kykweer - 2013-01-09 18:44

    I don't understand, I one article their daily wages is R69 in the other its R60, when cosatu is involved its R50... What's the facts news? The only thing I can assume is that this is all politically motivated.

  • mzwandile.dlamanzi - 2013-01-09 18:54

    WC is a DA run province, hands off my ANC gentlemen. Helen must go and address the protesters.

      charl.malan.12 - 2013-01-09 19:28

      Your anc hahahaha, they don't give a crap about you! And for your comment, I hang my head in shame about how little you know!

      phello.khiba - 2013-01-09 19:31

      dlamanzi,ur talking like an imp..farmworkers belong 2 mzansi..n the ruling party is whr does D.a feed here? May b ur living at inkandla..wake up..n face the facts..or go 2 political school.

  • zs5zk - 2013-01-09 18:59

    Planned and Orchestrated by the ANC to destroy the DA and the Farmers so that the ANC can take over politically in the Western Cape.

  • Mamushcka_ - 2013-01-09 19:22

    Some things never change_

  • wonderboy.ngubeni - 2013-01-09 19:23

    Who the hell can survive with 60 Rand a day touch the farms and let's see farmers survive on 60 Rand aday I dnt sympathise with greedy capitalist farmers they must pay workers decent wages

      charl.malan.12 - 2013-01-09 19:26

      The government sets the labor minimum wage and most farm workers gets paid way more then R60, most of the strikers are forced by others to strike! Stop blaming the farmers, blame the government, they are the ones causing all this chaos and not doing a thing about it

  • morne.nortier.98 - 2013-01-09 20:00

    So-called democratic 'laws' in SA creates lawlessness. You will reap what you sow.

  • David Davids - 2013-01-09 22:36

    bunch of idiots, they hav valid reasons but no common sense whatsoever....what possible excuse is there for looting and stoning cars and hurting people. in the meantime the kids hav no food cause daddy wanna throw stones and make fire in the road

  • Michael Kleber - 2013-01-10 06:00

    if you are not happy with your wage take your talents elsewhere , stoning and protesting ? withhold your labour its your right but barbaric behavior is unacceptable

  • Tebogo Mbokman Shield - 2013-01-10 08:12

    all this is because there are no repercussions in south africa, was looking at the times this morning people are clearly shown there looting a shop but do you think anything will be done to them even when their faces are shown clearly

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