"Plaasveiligheid en mededingende landbouproduksie word toenemend deur die voorkoms van geweldsmisdaad soos plaasaanvalle wat met roof gepaardgaan bedreig," sê Lourie Bosman, president van Agri SA. "Hoewel die voorkoms van geweldsmisdaad teen die landbougemeenskap n dalende tendens toon, het die aantal moorde vir die eerste 9 maande van die jaar in vergelyking met die vorige jaar n styging getoon. Die bedreigingspotensiaal neem dus nie af nie en landelike stabiliteit word steeds deur plaasaanvalle bedreig," sê Bosman.
Bosman het gereageer op die naweek se aanvalle op boere in die Cullinan- en Frankfort omgewing. In Cullinan is die Venter-egpaar koelbloedig in hulle woning doodgeskiet en volgens berigte word niks uit die huis vermis nie. Die Botha-gesin van die plaas Riverside in Frankfort is deur vier aanvallers oorval waarvan een volgens inligting in n polisie-uniform geklee was. Die verdagtes is later in die Heidelberg omgewing gearresteer. "Dit is kommerwekkend dat daar al meer voorvalle gerapporteer word waar aanvallers polisie-uniforms dra wanneer hulle n plaasaanval uitvoer," sê Bosman.
Agri SA doen n beroep op sy lede om die Protokol vir Toegang tot Plase wat met die veiligheidsmagte ooreengekom is, en waarvolgens in roetine gevalle n afspraak vooraf gemaak moet word, streng na te volg en seker te maak dat hulle nie enige persoon wat hom as n polisiebeampte voordoen toe te laat om sy eiendom te betree sonder dat so n persoon n geldige aanstellingsertifikaat toon nie.
Bosman het ook sy kommer uitgespreek oor onverantwoordelike uitsprake oor grond en die eienaarskap daarvan die afgelope tyd deur verskeie organisasies. "Hierdie uitsprake skep die potensiaal vir konflik wat weer landelike veiligheid en stabiliteit nadelig kan raak. Ons is ook bekommerd dat daar nie gevorder sal word met swart ekonomiese bemagtigingsprojekte in die landbou indien landelike veiligheid nie ernstig aangespreek en herstel word nie. Die verantwoordelikheid vir die handhawing van landelike beveiliging is n verantwoordelikheid wat die staat ernstig sal moet aanspreek, sodat die landbousektor tot sy volle potensiaal kan ontwikkel tot voordeel van almal in Suid-Afrika," sê Bosman ten slotte.
Navrae: Lourie Bosman, Agri SA President
082 388 3000
Kiewiet Ferreira, Voorsitter Agri SA Wet en Orde Komitee
083 228 4875 of 058-623 1585
Kobus Visser, Direkteur Korporatiewe Skakeling
082 388 0010 of 012-322 6980
| FARM ATTACKS DO NOT PROMOTE STABILITY |
"Farm safety and competitive agricultural production are increasingly undermined by the incidence of violent crime such as farm attacks which are accompanied by robbery," said Agri SA president, Lourie Bosman. "Although the incidence of violent crime against the farming community shows a downward trend, the number of murders for the first nine months of the year, compared to the previous year, has shown an increase. The potential threat has therefore not diminished and farm attacks continue to undermine rural stability," said Bosman.
Bosman was responding to the weekend's attacks on farmers in the Cullinan and Frankfort areas. In Cullinan the Venter couple were shot and killed in cold blood inside their home, and according to reports nothing is missing from the house. The Botha family of the farm Riverside in Frankfort was attacked by four people, one of whom was apparently in police uniform. The suspects were later arrested in the Heidelberg area. "It is a cause for concern that an increasing number of incidents are reported where the attackers wore police uniforms when carrying out a farm attack," said Bosman.
Agri SA called on its members to impose the Protocol for Access to Farms which was agreed upon with the security forces and according to which, in routine cases, an appointment must be made in advance to ensure that they do not allow any person pretending to be a police officer access to their property without being shown a valid certificate of appointment.
Bosman also expressed concern over the irresponsible statements that various organisations have made recently on land and land ownership. "The statements create the potential for conflict, which in turn could have an adverse effect on rural safety and stability. We are also worried that no progress would be made with black economic empowerment projects in agriculture if rural safety is not urgently addressed and restored. Maintaining rural safety is a responsibility which the state will have to address in earnest so that the agricultural sector can develop to its full potential to the benefit of all in South Africa," concluded Bosman.
Enquiries: Lourie Bosman, Agri SA President
082 388 3000
Kiewiet Ferreira, Chairperson Agri SA Law and Order Committee
083 228 4875 of 058-623 1585
Kobus Visser, Director Corporate Liaison
082 388 0010 of 012-322 6980