Citrus, Labour and Gender in the Eastern Cape

Agriculture plays a significant role in South Africa's export earning and in providing employment opportunities. Amongst the major agricultural crops is citrus. Within the context of postmodern and feminist geographies and utilizing the intensive research design, this paper discusses citrus production with a focus on growers and black women workers in the Kat River Valley area in Fort Beaufort, Eastern Cape. The paper also explores the challenges and implications of restructuring within agriculture for growers, cooperatives and labour within the citrus industry. It is argued that whilst legislation related to labour and tenure within agriculture has changed since the mid-1990s, power relations in the citrus industry have remained firmly entrenched, and the flexible labour strategies that the citrus farmers adopted have had serious consequences for women worker. The research would assist the various government departments, Non-Governmental Organisations, labour unions, farm owners, and farm workers to work hand in hand on the implementation of labour laws in every category of employment.