The North West branch of the Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) has slated the department of agriculture in the province for "delaying" investigations into incidents where farm workers are mauled by lions and bitten by dogs.

"Cosatu... condemns the attitude of the department... in delaying, and collaborating with farmers, with regard to [court] cases of farm workers or their families who have been mauled by lions and dogs since 2005," it said in a statement on Wednesday.

There had been six incidents of farm workers being mauled by lions since 2005, but only one had made it to court. There were also incidents of workers' family members being "assaulted and bitten by dogs".

"The department of agriculture is to be blamed and it must take responsibility for all cases of workers who were mauled by lions, together with their friends, the farmers, who are given licences fraudulently, in some cases even after they have killed farm workers," Cosatu said.

Department officials were not immediately available for comment.

Sapa

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