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| South Africa police fire rubber bullets at farm workers | South Africa police fire rubber bullets at farm workers |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| South Africa's police have fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse striking farm workers in the wine-producing Western Cape region. | South Africa's police have fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse striking farm workers in the wine-producing Western Cape region. |
| The workers barricaded roads and threw stones at police in De Doorns town, a top grape-producing area, local media reported. | The workers barricaded roads and threw stones at police in De Doorns town, a top grape-producing area, local media reported. |
| The strikers, who pick and pack fruit, are demanding their daily wage be more than doubled to about $17 (£11). | The strikers, who pick and pack fruit, are demanding their daily wage be more than doubled to about $17 (£11). |
| South Africa has been hit by a series of wildcat strikes since last year. | South Africa has been hit by a series of wildcat strikes since last year. |
| Talks between trade union and employer representatives to avert a strike on the farms broke down earlier this week. | Talks between trade union and employer representatives to avert a strike on the farms broke down earlier this week. |
| "We have been met with naked racism and white arrogance," said Nosey Pieterse, the general secretary of the Agricultural Workers Union. | "We have been met with naked racism and white arrogance," said Nosey Pieterse, the general secretary of the Agricultural Workers Union. |
| 'No money for school clothes' | 'No money for school clothes' |
| South Africa's labour relations are fraught with racial tension, more than 18 years after white minority rule ended. | South Africa's labour relations are fraught with racial tension, more than 18 years after white minority rule ended. |
| Most farm owners are white while their workers are black. | Most farm owners are white while their workers are black. |
| The region, home to South Africa's multi-billion dollar wine industry and a popular tourist destination, is extremely beautiful, but inequality is jarring. | |
| Last week, the powerful Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) called for an international boycott of Western Cape agricultural produce, if worker demands were not met. | |
| Police spokesman Lt-Col Andre Traut said about 50 protesters had been arrested in protests across the Western Cape, the South African Press Association (Sapa) reports. | Police spokesman Lt-Col Andre Traut said about 50 protesters had been arrested in protests across the Western Cape, the South African Press Association (Sapa) reports. |
| The anti-riot force had been deployed to contain the unrest, he added. | The anti-riot force had been deployed to contain the unrest, he added. |
| "We are taking action, and arrests are being effected," Lt-Col Traut is quoted as saying. | "We are taking action, and arrests are being effected," Lt-Col Traut is quoted as saying. |
| The protest has forced the closure of the main road from Cape Town to Johannesburg, causing major disruption to traffic, reports the BBC's Mohammed Allie from Cape Town. | |
| The protesters who clashed with police have occupied part of the road which is strewn with rocks and boulders, AFP news agency reports. | |
| Our correspondent says journalists have also been targeted by the protesters. | |
| The car of one reporter was set ablaze, and police had to escort journalists to safety, he says. | |
| Some protesters carried placards in the Afrikaans language which read, "Agri SA [a reference to the body representing employers] you are apartheid farmers", AFP reports. | |
| The workers, many of them seasonally employed to pick and pack fruit, say they cannot survive on a daily wage of about $8, Reuters news agency reports. | The workers, many of them seasonally employed to pick and pack fruit, say they cannot survive on a daily wage of about $8, Reuters news agency reports. |
| "We are struggling. School is starting and we don't have money for school clothes," said Lena Lottering, 35, a mother of three. | "We are struggling. School is starting and we don't have money for school clothes," said Lena Lottering, 35, a mother of three. |
| Another worker, Aubrey Louw, 47, told Reuters he had worked on the farms since the 1970s when he received 45 rand ($5) a day. | Another worker, Aubrey Louw, 47, told Reuters he had worked on the farms since the 1970s when he received 45 rand ($5) a day. |
| "Now we get 65 rand. What is that? We want 150 rand," he said. | "Now we get 65 rand. What is that? We want 150 rand," he said. |
| "Farmers would rather employ security guards and buy new cars than pay us." | "Farmers would rather employ security guards and buy new cars than pay us." |
| Our correspondent says that while some farmers exploit workers, others have improved their labour practices dramatically since apartheid ended in 1994. | |
| These farmers pay workers a salary way above the minimum wage, and even provide their children with free schooling, our reporter adds. | |
| The farms were hit by a similar strike last year, when two workers were killed in clashes with police. | The farms were hit by a similar strike last year, when two workers were killed in clashes with police. |
| Police killed 34 striking workers at the Marikana platinum in South Africa's North West province in August, in the most deadly security force action since white rule ended in 1994. | Police killed 34 striking workers at the Marikana platinum in South Africa's North West province in August, in the most deadly security force action since white rule ended in 1994. |