F.a: Sustainabilize South African wine supply chain Workers along the supply chain in the wine sector in South Africa are vulnerable to human rights abuses by the employers as they lack capacity to defend their rights and advance their interests. Unionisation of farm workers is difficult due to challenges o
f access to farms and fragmentation of the trade unions, leaving the agricultural sector with just around 5% level of unionization. Common practice is to exploit labour from undocumented workers from Zimbabwe and Lesotho. The percentage of women in the wor
kforce is increasing (especially in pack houses) who are subjected to sexual harassment. There is gross violation of occupational health and safety issues: exposure of farm workers to pesticides and lack of training on handling chemicals. Alcohol abuse and
 alcoholism are common due to “dop system” adopted during the apartheid era, where alcohol was used as a form of payment to farm workers and which still is a practice. FASD children (Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders) are common in the wine workers’ c
ommunities. These abuses are exacerbated by poor enforcement of relatively good pieces of labour legislation.As wine plantations are mostly located in remote areas far from any residential settlements and out of public transport’s reach, workers mostly s
tay residences offered by the employer. These houses are mostly in really bad condition without access to clean drinking water and sanitation. Further, workers, with high illiteracy or semi-literacy level, in this sector are vulnerable.The goal of the proj
ect is to improve workers’ right to decent work in South Africa. The project’s purpose is the improved conditions for workers in South African grape farms. The expected outputs are: 1) Improved workers’ welfare 2) Improved gender equality 3) Enhanced
 awareness of freedom of association 4) Increased opportunities for vulnerable people 5) Improved worker productivity.The project is implemented by Fairtrade Africa. We also cooperate with SASK and Finnish Contact Service Union United (PAM) in the implemen
tation of this project. http://www.fairtradeafrica.net/