Supported by Comic Relief

June 2012

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CITRUSDAL WORKSHOP

We had a wonderful workshop in Citrusdal and I know that the participants will agree to that. The weather was great at the Baths where we were learning on the 9th-11th May 2012 about Fair trade, the economy, meeting pro-cedures, how Joint Bodies should work and how to spend Premium money. The workshop was attended by members of the Joint Body and Workers Committees. There were 7 new people from new farms who took part in the workshop. We had a chance to enjoy the scenery, relax in the warm baths and could even watch how the baboons fought with each other, whilst learning. The participants spoke about common prob-lems they experience on their farms and or-ganisations. They came up with creative solu-tions for their own problems. The participa-tion was positive and we enjoy spending time with each other. Well done to all.

Wat ‘n wonderlike werkswinkel het ons op Citrusdal beleef ek is seker die deelnemers sal saamstem. Die weer het saamgespeel by die Baths waar ons vanaf 9-11 Mei 2012 besig was om te leer oor Billike Handel, die ekonomie, vergaderingsprosedure en hoe Gesamentlike liggame moet werk en hoe spandeer ons Premuim geld. Die werkswinkel was bygewoon deur lede van die Gesamentlike Liggame, Werkerskommittees. Daar het ook 7 nuwe mense van nuwe plase deelgeneem. Deur al die geleerdery, was daar kans om die natuurskoon te bewonder, in die warm bad te ontspan en selfs ‘n geveg van die bobbejane gade te slaan. Die deelnemers het gepraat oor soortgelyke probleme wat hul op die plase en in hul organisasies ervaar. Baie het vindingryke oplossings vir hul eie probleme gebring en was die deelname positief en het ons mekaar geniet. Welgedaan aan almal.

CITRUSDAL WERKSWINKEL

AFIT on Facebook AFIT op Facebook

You can also follow AFIT on our Facebook page

so if you are on Facebook, check out our page,

like it and post you news thoughts, pictures and

anything else you think everyone at AFIT would

like to see or know about!

Jy kan ook AFIT volg op ons Facebook-bladsy , so as jy Facebook gebruik, gaan kyk daarna, ‘like’ dit en pos jou nuus, gedagtes, foto’s en enige iets anders wat jy dink almal by AFIT sal wil sien of van weet!

AFIT started an sms system to stay in touch with you and send you news and important information We will be collecting members cel numbers and asking for you permission to send you the sms’s. If you would like to be on the sms list please let us know.

AFIT het ‘n sms sisteem begin om met jou in kontak te bly en nuus en ander belangrike inligting aan jou te stuur.

Ons gaan lede se selnommers aanvra en vra vir jou toestemming om sms (e) aan jou te stuur indien jy op die sms lys wil wees laat ons asseblief weet.

AFIT op SMS AFIT on SMS

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UPDATE ON AFIT MANCOM MEETING

We decided to fill you in on the developments in the Mancom meeting which took place in March 2012 in Cape Town. It is

important that you as members know what is happening and how the organisation is managed as we are a democratic and

participatory organisation. This will be a standard item in the newsletter.

Sydney Le Fleur, Piet Kiewiets, Albert Hlungwani, Nokwanele Mzamo, Lizette Kampher attended the meeting.

The committee discussed Premuim spending and how important it is that members be careful when deciding to erecting

buildings on the owners land or making improvements to the farmers houses. If the farm is sold or closes down workers

could lose the money they spent on these improvements. You need to make sure there is a legal agreement or contract to

protect workers money AFIT will get a legal opinion on the issue and we will let you know what we find out.

At the AGM the meeting said that Membership fee must increase from R500.00—R1000.00. The Management Committee

Meeting felt that while some farm could afford this small farmer organisations and farms who make less premium money will

not be able to. It was agreed that this needs to be looked at and other suggestions made. According to the constitution man-

agement can decide on the membership fees. The next AFIT Management meeting will discuss the issue and we will report

on it in the next newsletter on the progress made.

AFIT’s is moving towards independence from EMG—This has been discussed for a while and covered in other newsletters.

The next Mancom meeting will debate and discuss the issue and we will update you on progress around important step in

our history.

Part of the meeting was used to develop policies for AFIT as an organisation, like a BBBEE policy, Sexual Harassment etc.

These policies will be further developed by the staff and tabled at the AGM for the members to adopt.

Please watch this space for updates of news on issues discussed and decided upon by the AFIT Management Committee.

WORKERS LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Update on Fairtrade Hired Labour Standards Review

In our last newsletter we told you about the work we have been doing to make sure the new standards for workers are bet-ter. The new standards will not be ready for workers to comment on until October.

This is good because it will give us all some time to talk about what we want and we will be able to discuss what we as mem-bers of AFIT want at our Annual General Meeting (AGM).

AFIT will be sending you information on what the new standards are saying and where we think it is important for workers to comment. The draft new Standards are over 100 pages and we are not allowed to send out the draft as it is but will be highlighting issues that we would like you to discuss in your Joint Bodies, Workers Committees and Shopsteward Committees. We will make sure that you have copies before the AGM.

It will be important that when you come to the AGM that you have discussed the issues as workers and have a position that we can debate as Fairtrade Workers in our AGM.

One of the new standards being proposed is that:

“Workers who are members of trade union committees must be invited to Fairtrade Premium Fund Commit-tee meetings and receive minutes of the meetings. They must have the right to advice on Premium expendi-ture before the Fairtrade Premium Fund Committee decides.”

What do you think about this?

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INLIGTING OOR AFIT BESTUURSVERGADERING

WERKERS LAAT U STEMME GEHOOR WORD!

Ons het besluit om u in te lig oor verwikkelinge in die Bestuursvergadering wat plaasgevind het in Maart 2012.Dit is belangrik dat u as lede weet wat gebeur en hoe die organisasie bestuur word aangesien ons ‘n demokratiese en deelnemende organ-isasie is. Hierdie sal ‘n staande item in die nuusbrief wees.

Sydney Le Fleur, Piet Kiewiets, Albert Hlungwani, Nokwanele Mzamo, Lizette Kampher het die vergadering bygewoon.

Die bestuur het Premie Spandering bespreek en hoe belangrik dit is dat die lede versigtig moet wees wanneer hul besluit om geboue op te rig of verbeterings aan die grondeienaar se huise aan te bring. Indien die plaas verkoop word of dit maak toe sal werkers hul geld verloor wat hul op verbeteringe spandeer het. U moet seker maak daar ‘n wettige ooreenkoms of kon-trak is om die werkers se geld te beskerm. AFIT sal ‘n regsopinie oor die kwessie kry en u inlig oor wat ons uitgevind het.

Daar was besluit by die AJV dat lidmaatskap moet verhoog word vanaf R500-R1000.00.Die bestuur het gevoel dat terwyl sommige plase dit kan bekostig kan Klein Boere en plase wat minder Premie geld maak dit dalk nie bekostig nie. Dit was ooreengekom dat ons daarna moet kyk en ander voorstelle maak. Volgens die grondwet kan die bestuur besluite maak oor lidmaatskap fooie.Die volgende AFIT Bestuursvergadering sal die kwessie bespreek en ons sal u in die volgende nuusbrief op hoogte bring oor die verwikkeling.

AFIT is besig om na onafhanklikheid te beweeg van EMG- Dit was alreeds vir ‘n geruime tyd bespreek en in vorige nuusbriewe gemeld. Die volgende bestuursvergadering sal dit bespreek en debatteer en ons sal u op hoogte hou van die verwikkelinge want dit is ‘n belangrike stap in ons geskiedenis.

‘N Gedeelte van die vergadering was gebruik om beleidsdokumente te ontwikkel soos Swart Bemagtiging beleid, Seksuele Teistering ens. Hierdie beleidsdokumente sal verder deur AFIT personeel ontwikkel word en by die AJV voorgelê word om aangeneem te word.

Hou asb hierdie spasie dop oor nuus en kwessies en besluite van die AFIT Bestuur.

Inligting oor Fairtrade se Gehuurde Arbeiders Standaarde hersiening In ons laaste nuusbrief het ons u ingelig oor die werk wat ons gedoen het om seker te maak dat die nuwe standaarde vir werkers beter is . Die nuwe standaarde sal nie voor Oktober gereed wees vir werkers om hul opinie te gee nie.

Dit is goed want dit sal ons tyd gee om te praat oor wat ons wil hê en sal ons die geleentheid het om te bespreek wat ons as AFIT Lede wil he by ons Algemene Jaar Vergadering (AJV).

AFIT gaan die inligting oor wat die nuwe standaarde sê en waar ons dink dit belangrik is vir werkers om kommentaar te lewer aan jou stuur Die konsep nuwe standaarde is oor die 100 bladsye lank en word ons nie toegelaat om dit uit te stuur soos wat dit is nie, maar gaan ons sommige kwessies beklemtoon wat ons wil hê jule moet in jul Gesamentlike Ligame (JB), Werkers Kommitees en Shop steward Kommittees dit bespreek. Ons sal seker maak dat jul kopieë daarvan kry voor die AJV.

Dit is belangrik dat wanneer jy na die Algemene Jaar Vergadering kom dat jy reeds die kwessies as werkers be-spreek het en dat jy ‘n posisie het sodat ons kan debateer as Fairtrade Werkers in ons AJV.

Een van die nuwe standaarde stel voor dat:

“Werkers wat lede is van vakbonde (unies) moet na die Fiartrade Premie Kommittee Vergaderings genooi word en moet die notulese van die vergaderings ontvang. Hulle moet die reg het om die Premie Kommittee te adviseer oor Premie spandering voordat die Premie Kommittee besluite neem.” Wat dink u hiervan?

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The following article deals with the different types of grants which are available and how to access them. In this news-letter we will focus on the Child support Grant. In our August Newsletter we will talk about Disability Grants

How do you know if you qualify for the Child maintenance grant?

· If you are the main/primary caregiver of the child

· If you are a South African citizen or permanent resident

· If you do not earn more than R33 000.00 per a year if you are single or R67 000.00 if you are married as a joint income

· The child be living with you, in your care

Where can you apply?

· At the nearest district offices of the Department of Social Services

· At a community hall in your area on dates given by the Department of Social Services

What do I need to apply for the grant ?

You must have:

· Your 13 digit-bar-coded identity document (ID)

· the child’s birth certificate Or…If you do not have a birth certificate you can take baptismal certificate or road to health clinic card or school report.

· Proof of income—your payslips for the month or monthly bank statements

· Only If you receive maintenance from the other parent you also need to take Proof of maintenance

How long will my application take ?

· About 30 working days to process and then…

· If your application is successful it will take 3 months for the first payment

How do I find out about the application?

· You can phone the following toll free number on 0800 601 011 (SASSA) to enquire about your application

· At pay out dates

· District Offices

· You can also report any fraud or corruption at the same number

How much will I receive for the child ?

· From the first of April 2012 you will receive R280.00 per child every month

When can the grant be cancelled?

· If the child dies or turns 18 years old

· If your income or assets improve so much that you no longer qualify in terms of the means test

· You have to re-apply every year if you don’t re-apply for the review your grant will stop

· If you fail to collect the grant for three months in a row

AFIT - knowledge is power

Your rights in terms of Grants

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AFIT oor Kennis is mag

Die volgende artikel bespreek die verskillende toelaes wat beskikbaar is en hoe om aansoek te doen. In hierdie nuusbrief gaan ons fokus op die Kinder Ondersteuningstoelaag. In ons Augustus Nuusbrief gaan ons die Ongeskiktheidstoelaag be-spreek. Hoe weet jy of jy kwalifiseer vir die Kinder Ondersteuningstoelae? Indien jy die primêre versorger van die kind is

Indien jy ‘n Suid- Afrikaanse burger of permanente inwoner is

Indien jy nie meer as R33 000.00 per jaar verdien as jy enkelopend is of R67 000.00 as jy getroud is (gesamentlike inkomste).

Waar kan jy aansoek doen ? By die naaste Distrikskantoor van die Departement Maatskaplike Dienste

By ‘n gemeenskapsaal in u omgewing op die datum soos deur die Deoartement van Maatskaplike Dienste gespesifiseer

Wat het ek nodig om aansoek te doen vir die Toelaag?

Jy het die volgende nodig:

Jou 13 digitale kode identiteitsdokument

Die kind se geboortesertifikaart OF Indien u nie die geboortesertifikaart het nie kan jy die volgende saam neem: Geboortesertifikaart of Kliniek Kaart of Skool Rapport/verslag of

Bewys van inkomste

Indien u onderhoud ontvang van die ander ouer moet jy ook bewys van die inkom-ste saam neem

Hoe lank sal my aansoek neem? Ongeveer 30 dae om te prosseer en dan

Indien jou aansoek suksesvol is sal dit 3 maande neem vir jou 1ste betaling

Hoe vind jy uit omtrent jou aansoek? Jy kan die volgende tolvrye nommer skakel by 0800 601 011 (SASSA) om navraag te

doen oor jou aansoek

Op betaaldatums

By Distrikskantore

Jy kan ook enige bedrog of korrupsie by dieselfde nommer rapporteer

Hoeveel geld sal ek vir die kind ontvang? Vanaf die 1ste April 2012 sal jy R280.00 per kind maandeliks ontvang

Wanneer sal jou Toelaag gekanseleer word ? Indien die kind sterf

Indien jou inkomste of bates vermeerder tot so ‘n mate dat jy nie meer langer kwalifiseer in terme van die middele toets.

Jy moet elke jaar heraansoek doen, indien jy nie heraansoek doen nie sal die toelaag gestop word

Indien jy nalaat om die toelaag vir 3 maande agtereenvolgend te gaan afhaa

Jou regte ten opsigte van staatstoelaes

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Exchange visits

We would like to remind you about the money that we have to support workers who would like to do exchange visits . We would like to encourage you to make use of the funding which we have. All that you have to do is to send us a plan on when and where, together with a budg-et. We would also like to have some pictures and feedback on the visit in terms of how did it go and what did you learn from the expierence Please make use of the opportunity.

Dear Afit

I have been working on a Fair-trade farm for the past four years. My wife worked at the farm ,but resigned due to her medical condition during her pregnancy. My wife would like to start working again on another farm , but the manager said she may not go and work on another farm or at any other place as she is part of my contract on the farm. We need the extra income.

What can we do?

Regards

Disillusioned

Dear Disillusioned

We are sorry to hear about this. The manager cannot compel your wife to work on the farm if she do not want to. She has a right to offer her services else where. When she worked on the farm she was suppose to have a contract in her own name. When she decided to resigned she chose to end her contract and is under no obliga-tion to work on the farm. Your contract with the farm cannot compel her to render a service to the farm and it cannot affect her ability to stay in the house. We advice that she offer her employment where she would like to.

Best wishes

AFIT

Beste Afit Ek werk vir die afgelope 4 jaar op ‘n Fair-trade plaas. My vrou het ook voor-heen daar gewerk, maar was verplig om te bedank weens mediese probleme gedurende haar swangerskap. My vrou wil graag begin werk op ‘n ander plaas, maar die bestuurder se sy mag nie op ‘n ander plaas of plek werk nie want haar kontrak is deel van my kontrak op die plaas. Ons het die ekstra inkomste nodig. Wat kan ons doen? Groete Moedeloos

Beste Moedeloos Ons is jammer by AFIT om van die storie te hoor. Die bestuurder het geen reg om jou vrou te dwing om op die plaas te werk nie. Terwyl sy op die plaas gewerk het was sy veronderstel om haar eie kon-trak te het. Sy het die werk bedank weens me-diese redes en daardeur haar kontrak beeindig. Sy is onder geen verpligting om op die plaas te werk nie. Jou kontrak met die plaas kan haar nie for-seer om op die plaas te werk nie en kan nie haar reg om in die huis te bly beinvloed nie. Ons stel voor dat sy haar dienste aanbied waar sy gemaklik voel om te werk. Groete AFIT

Uitruil besoeke

Ons wil u graag herinner aan die geld wat ons het om werkers te ondersteun om uitruil besoeke op plase in u omgewing te doen. Ons wil u aanmoedig om die befondsing te gebruik wat ons het.Al wat u hoef te doen om die geld te kry is om ons ‘n plan te stuur oor wanneer en waar tesame met n begroting. Ons sal graag fotos en terugvoering wil he oor u besoek , hoe dit gegaan het en wat u geleer het van die ervaring. Maak assseblief gebruik van die geleentheid.

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IDEAS for Premium Spending IDEES vir Premie Spandering

The Mthimkulu Village Centre is located in Kleinmond, a small town about 2 hours drive from Cape Town. The Village Centre is a project that runs training programmes and builds community entrepreneurship. As the Centre hosts many workshop participants, there are often a lot of people on the grounds, staying in the on-site accommodation and us-ing all the facilities, including the toilets. All that human waste is a resource that would otherwise be sent to a municipal waste treatment plant. What about us-ing it at the Centre? As part of the Project 90 by 2030 Demonstration Sites Programme, a biogas digester was installed at the Centre in 2011. The biogas digester collects all the human waste from the toilets at the Centre in a big collection tank, and sometimes some of the garden cuttings are also added to the tank. The picture of the tank being installed gives an idea of its size. It is buried in the ground, so you can hardly notice it when it has been installed. Once the waste starts collecting, it starts “digesting” or decom-posing. When this happens, it gives off gasses that can be burnt cleanly (and without the bad smell!). The gas is col-lected in the digester, and then piped to the Centre's kitch-en, where it is used instead of the normal gas that we buy in gas bottles to cook meals for the workshop participants. The biogas digester will help the Centre save money on their gas bills, provide a good example of a renewable ener-gy technology, increase their energy independence and reduce their carbon footprint. It is so logical - instead of paying to get rid of their sewage and paying for gas for cooking, they are now using their sewage to make the gas they need for cooking. If you would like to find out more about biogas digester's, or other renewable energy solutions that could help your cooperative save money and become more environmentally friendly, please contact Glen at Project 90 on 021 674 5094 or glen@90x2030.org.za.

Die Mthimkulu Sentrum is deel van Kleinmond , ‘n klein dorpie sowat 2 ure se ry vanaf Kaapstad. Die sentrum het ‘n projek wat opleidingsprogramme aanbied en bou die gemeenskap se entrepeneurskap. Aangesien die sentrum baie werkswinkels aanbied is daar gereeld baie mense wat by die sentrum bly en al die fasiliteite sowel as die toilette gebruik. Al die menslike afval is ‘n bron wat andersins na die muni-sipalitiet se afval terrein gestuur sou word . Wat daarvan as dit by die sentrum gebruik word? As deel van die Projek 90 by 2030 se demonstrasies terrein Program is ‘n biogas verwerker by die sentrum geinstalleer in 2011. Die biogas verwerker kollekteer al die menslike afval van die toilette by die sentrum in ‘n groot opvang tenk en somtyds word van die tuin se afval bygevoeg. Die foto van die gein-stalleerde tenk gee jou ‘n idee van hoe groot die tenk is . Die tenk is begrawe in die grond en mens kan dit kwalik sien . Sodra die afval gekollekteer word begin die afval ontbind . Wanneer dit gebeur word die gasse skoon ver-brand sonder die slegte reuk. Die gas word dan gekollekteer in die verwerker en word per pyp gelei na die sentrum se kombuis , waar dit gebruik word om kos te kook vir deelnemers van werkswinkels in plaas van nor-male gas wat gewoonlik in kanne gekoop word. Die biogas gaan die sentrum help om geld te spaar op hul gas rekening , dit is ‘n goeie voorbeeld van herwinbare energie tegnologie , dit verhoog die energie onafhank-likheid en verminder die koolstof spoor . Dit is logika in stede daarvan om te betaal om ontslae te raak van die afval en om te betaal vir gas vir kook doeleindes , gebruik hulle nou hul afval om gas te vervaardig vir hul kook be-hoeftes. Indien u meer wil uitvind van die biogas verwerkers of enige herwinbare energie oplossings vir u kooperasie om geld te bespaar en meer omgewingsvriendelik te word kontak Glen by Projek 20by 2030 by 021 6745094 of glen@90x2030.org.za

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AFIT is a Voluntary Association, established in May

2005. Day-to-day decisions are made by a Manage-

ment Committee which is elected by members at

the Annual General Meeting.

EMG is mandated to act as the network co-

ordinator/Secretariat.

AFIT is ’n Vrywillige Vereeniging wat in Mei 2005 ges-

tig is.

Dag-tot-dag besluite word gemaak deur die Bestuur-

skomitee, wat deur lede gekies word by die Algemene

Jaarlikse Vergadering.

EMG is gemandaateer om die rol van netwerk ko-

ordineerder/sekretariaat to speel.

Contact: Mandy Moussouris or Denile Samuel P.O.Box 13378, Mowbray, 7705

10 Nuttal Road, Observatory, 7925

Phone: +27 (0) 21 448 2881 Fax: +27 (0) 21 448 2922 Email: mandy@emg.org.za

AFIT is a network of small-farmer and farm-worker organisations

OBJECTIVES AFIT aims to help small-farmers and farm-workers ensure that the fair trade system works for them – through building capaci-

ty, sharing information and providing a platform for members to engage in fair trade debates and discus-sions.

MEMBERSHIP Membership is open to all representative bodies of small-farmers and farm-workers in South Africa, pro-ducing for (or intending to produce for) the interna-tional fair trade system.

AFIT is ‘n netwerk van kleinboere en plaaswerker organisasies

DOELSTELLINGS AFIT poog om kleinboere en plaaswerkers te help verseker dat die Fair Trade stelsel vir hulle werk deur bevoegdhede uit te brei, deur in-ligting te verskaf en deur 'n ruimte te skep waar lede kan praat en debatteer oor Fair Trade.

LIDMAATSKAP Alle verteenwoordigers van groepe kleinboere en plaaswerkers in Suid-Afrika, wat produkte lewer (of beoog om te lewer) aan die internasionale Fair Trade stelsel, mag lede word.

AFIT bestuurskomitee AFIT Management Committee

Name Position Contact Area e-mail

Sydney le Fleur Chairperson 082 226 9467 Western Cape – East Coast ericavilleft@webmail.co.za

Nelie Kok 082 866 5148 Northern Cape neliekok@gmail.com

Nokwanele Mzamo Treasurer 083 608 6845 Eastern Cape jointbody@srvalley.co.za

Albert Hlungwani 079 958 9048 Limpopo albertmayoyo@gmail.com

Zelda De Wee Secretary 073 680 9641

Western cape – West Coast admin@heiveld.co.za

Piet Kiewiets 076 554 8478 Eastern Cape evebrand@net4all.co.za

Berty Jones Vice-

Chairperson 084 498 8490 Western cape – West Coast berty@stellarorganics.com

Lizette Kampher 082 691 9119 Western cape – Southern lesetajafta@gmail.com