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Corruption Watch (CW) is the South Africa lead for the Land and Corruption in Africa phase 2 (LCA2) project, driven by Transparency International (TI), and is part of an eight-chapter team – with Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – that successfully completed the first phase from 2014 to 2019. Overall, the LCA project seeks to address land corruption risks and injustices in sub-Saharan Africa.
To mark our work in this second phase, we have produced a new five-part podcast series on land corruption, titled Land and Corruption: Story of the Marginalised. Our focus area in LCA2 was land in the agricultural sector.
Episode 4 is released today.
Episodes 1, 2, and 3 of the series laid down the background to the LCA2 project, discussed land issues in the agricultural sector, and exposed the intersection between corruption and human rights abuses in this space, respectively.
Episode 4 tells a story of broken promises, dashed hopes, and the greedy machinations of a cohort of white farmers who, despite their outrageous wealth, nonetheless squeeze their farm workers for every little cent extra.
Our research included on-the-ground work in the Western Cape. We focused on the living conditions of farm workers, in particular the beneficiaries of farm worker equity schemes, and how they are consistently denied what is due to them as shareholders.
The team held numerous interviews with beneficiaries on various farms in the Western Cape, notably in the Matzikama and Witzenberg areas. Despite the Witzenberg municipality being one of the wealthiest farm areas and biggest deciduous producer in the country, the gap between the rich and poor in the region and the dire conditions of farm workers is put into stark relief.
In this episode farm workers tell us about their largely unrewarded toil for the owners. They speak about working on farms for their whole lives, and leaving with a fraction of what is due to them.
We also discuss various equity schemes and partnerships, managed by prominent commercial businesses, revealing the sad reality that farm workers have been left feeling misled.
For the full story, listen to episode 4 of Land and Corruption: Story of the Marginalised now.
NOTE:
This podcast series is made possible by funding received from Transparency International. For more on CW’s work, including research reports and toolkits on land corruption, please visit our website at www.corruptionwatch.org.za. Our e-mail address is info@corruptionwatch.org.za. You can call us on 011 242 3900.
