The `dopʹ system, alcohol abuse and social control amongst farm workers in South Africa: a public health challenge

Many farm workers in South Africa continue to live and work under adverse conditions that are the legacy of apartheid policies. Despite its official prohibition, the arrangement by which workers are given alcohol as a benefit of employment, known as the `dopʹ system, appears to persist. Even though it is a minority of farms that currently actively practice the dop system, the ramifications of the historical institutionalisation of massive alcohol consumption are widespread. Heavy alcohol consumption is not only directly injurious to the health of farm workers and their families, but places them at risk to various social and environmental hazards. This is illustrated in a case of pesticide poisoning in which 24 workers were poisoned when given wine contaminated with the carbamate insecticide aldicarb. The case illustrates (i) the ongoing application of the dop system on farms in South Africa and (ii) the interaction between social factors and chemical exposures amongst farm workers. Public perceptions about the natural tendencies of `colouredʹ people to drink heavily have much to do with perpetuating the dop system, and reinforcing a system geared towards the social control of rural farm workers and their families. The dop system poses a major challenge to the public health authorities in South Africa who are charged with the task of restructuring health services to address the human rights and health needs of marginal farming communities within a primary health care framework.