see below for English - POLICE CAN NO LONGER DRAG THEIR FEET WITH RURAL SAFETY

15 Augustus / August 2012

“Die afgelope week se moord op Ronel Van Eyck van Hartebeesfontein in die Noordwes provinsie en Owen Charles van Jansenville in die Oos-Kaap het weer die kollig geplaas op die kwesbaarheid van landelike gemeenskappe vir lafhartige misdadigers. Hierdie moorde wys op die noodsaak vir die dringende implementering van die Landelike Beveiligingstrategie asook die vrystelling van die Reservistebeleid vir implementering. Die polisie kan nie langer voete sleep met die inwerkingstelling van die Strategie en die aanwending van reserviste vir landelike beveiliging”, sê Johannes Möller, president van Agri SA.

Die moord op mevrou Van Eyck is veral tragies, aangesien dit plaasgevind het in hierdie maand waar die aandag gevestig word op vroue en die respek wat diegene verdien. n Beroep word op die Polisie gedoen om alles in die stryd te werp om die skuldiges in die Van Eyck moord aan te keer en voor die hof te bring. Terselfdertyd moet die polisie in die Oos-Kaap geloof word vir hulle optrede om van die verdagtes in die Owen moord aan te keer.

Agri SA het reeds by herhaling ‘n dringende beroep op die Minister van Polisie gedoen om toe te sien dat die Landelike Beveiligingstrategie met die gepaardgaande strukture spoedig in die landelike gebied inwerking gestel word. “Die Strategie moet veral gesien word teen die agtergrond van die regering se prioritisering van landelike misdaad en die noodsaak om die gebiede veiliger te maak ook met die oog op volgehoue landbouproduksie en Landelike Ontwikkeling. Die spoedige vrystelling en inwerkingstelling van die Reservistebeleid ter ondersteuning van die Landelike Beveiligingstrategie is ‘n onontbeerlike aanvulling in hierdie verband. Ons verwag dat die Minister spoedig sal reageer op ons tersaaklike versoeke en indien nie sal Agri SA hierdie aangeleentheid met die Portefeuljekomitee van Polisie bespreek”, sê Möller.

“Landelike Veiligheid bly een van Agri SA se prioriteite, die organisasie bied voortgeset sy samewerking met die polisie op verskeie vlakke aan. Deur die Agri Securitas Trustfonds is Agri SA ook in die praktyk besig om boerderygemeenskappe in staat te stel om hulle eie veiligheid te verbeter in samewerking met die plaaslike polisie. Verskeie projekte is reeds landswyd gefinansier en volgens die terugvoer wat vanaf grondvlak ontvang word maak die Trustfonds se bydraes ‘n verskil aan gemeenskappe se veiligheid.

“Ons betoon graag ons simpatie en medelye met die naasbestaandes van die onlangse slagoffers van hierdie misdaadkanker in ons samelewing. Ons wil hulle egter ook verseker dat Agri SA by herhaling en waar moontlik meer intens alle aksies gerig op die landelike bevolking sal volhou, ook ter nagedagtenis van hulle wat die hoogste tol betaal het”, sê Möller.

Uitgereik deur Agri SA, Direktoraat: Korporatiewe Skakeling

Navrae

Mnr André Botha, Voorsitter van Agri SA se Landelike Veiligheidskomitee, 083 629 5685

POLICE CAN NO LONGER DRAG THEIR FEET WITH RURAL SAFETY

“The murder to Ronel van Eyck of Hartebeesfontein in the North West province and Owen Charles of Jansenville in the Eastern Cape once again highlighted the vulnerability of rural communities to cowardly criminals. These murders are indicative of the need for urgent implementation of the Rural Protection Strategy, as well as the release of the Reservist Policy for implementation. The police can no longer drag their feet with the implementation of the strategy and the employment of reservists for rural protection,” said Agri SA president Johannes Möller.

The murder of Ms Van Eyck is particularly tragic in that it took place during the month in which the focus was on women and the respect they deserve. The police were urged to do everything in their power to arrest and prosecute the guilty parties. At the same time the police in the Eastern Cape are to be commended for their swift action in arresting the suspects in the Owen murder.

Agri SA has repeatedly called on the Minister of Police to ensure that the Rural Protection Strategy, with the accompanying structures, is implemented as soon as possible within rural areas. “The Strategy must, in particular, be seen against the backdrop of the government’s prioritisation of rural crime and the need to make rural areas safer with a view to sustained agricultural production and rural development. The speedy release and implementation of the Reservist Policy to support the Rural Protection Strategy are indispensable in this regard. We expect the Minister to react swiftly to these requests. If he fails to do so, Agri SA will refer the matter to the Portfolio Committee on Police for discussion,” said Möller.

“Rural safety remains one of Agri SA’s priorities and the organisation offers the police its continued cooperation at various levels. Through the Agri Securitas Trust Fund, Agri SA is also practically involved in enabling farming communities to improve their own safety in conjunction with the local police. Various projects have already been financed countrywide and, according to the feedback received from grassroots level, the Trust Fund’s contributions make a difference to the safety of communities.

“We wish to extend our condolences to the next of kin of recent victims of this cancer in our midst. We also wish to assure them, however, that Agri SA will repeatedly and, where possible, more intensely, continue with its efforts aimed at the rural population, also in memory of those who have paid the highest price,” said Möller.

Issued by Agri SA, Directorate: Corporate Liaison

Enquiries

Mr André Botha, Chair of Agri SA’s Rural Safety Committee, 083 629 5685