Agri SA ondersteun die hersiene Landelike Beveiligingstrategie | Agri SA supports the revised Rural Safety Strategy

English to follow:

11 Oktober 2019

Agri SA ondersteun die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens (SAPD) se hersiene Landelike Beveiligingstrategie wat vandag in Louis Trichardt bekend gemaak is. Die strategie beklemtoon weereens die dringende behoefte aan misdaadbekamping in landelike en boerderygebiede. Indien die polisie die strategie met toegewyding en volharding implementeer, behoort dit ’n groot sukses te wees.

“Die dringende implementering van die strategie deur alle stasiebevelvoerders is noodsaaklik,” sê Tommie Esterhuyse, voorsitter van Agri SA se Sentrum van Uitnemendheid: Landelike Veiligheid. “Indien nie, sal dit bloot ’n uitstekende strategie wees wat op die rak sit en stof versamel.”

 Die hoë misdaadvlakke affekteer nie net die boer nie maar ook plaaswerkers en die landelike gemeenskap. Dit hou ’n bedreiging in vir stabiliteit in landelike gebiede en die land as geheel, asook ’n risiko vir voedselsekerheid. Die voortdurende aanvalle op boere en plaaswerkers, die hoë vlakke van veediefstal en die vernietiging van plaasinfrastruktuur vereis ’n doeltreffende strategie.

Agri SA beskou die SAPD se Landelike Beveiligingstrategie as die beste voertuig om hierdie kwessies aan te spreek.

“Dit is egter kommerwekkend dat die reserviste-stelsel, wat die ruggraat van die strategie verteenwoordig, na al die jare nog nie volledig geïmplementeer word nie,” sê Esterhuyse. “Ons doen ’n beroep op die polisie om aktief die reserviste-stelsel te bevorder en dit moontlik te maak vir die boerderygemeenskap om deel te neem en ’n rol te speel ter beveiliging van hul omgewing. Die polisie moet hul verbind tot die beskikbaarstelling van die nodige hulpbronne vir reserviste asook hierdie strategie.

Agri SA het nog altyd ’n konstruktiewe werksverhouding met die polisie gehandhaaf, veral wat veiligheid en sekuriteit betref, en wil graag die polisie gelukwens met die ontwikkeling en finalisering van hierdie strategie.

“Ons glo dat dit die enigste werkbare strategie is wat fokus op die bestryding van plaasaanvalle en die diefstal van vee en plaasinfrastruktuur,” sê Esterhuyse. “Die strategie sal georganiseerde misdaad, veediefstal en die diefstal van nie-ysterhoudende metale, asook oor-grens misdaad, aanspreek. Die daarstelling van snel-reaksiespanne wat vinnig kan reageer op voorvalle van landelike misdaad of voorvalle van ’n geweldadige of georganiseerde aard, word ook verwelkom.”

Agri SA sal alles in sy vermoë doen om met die polisie saam te werk in hierdie verband en sodoende die boergemeenskap help om hulself te beveilig. Die Landelike Veiligheidstrategie is beskikbaar op die SAPD se webwerf.

Navrae:

Tommie Esterhuyse

Voorsitter van Agri SA se Sentrum van Uitnemendheid: Landelike Veiligheid

(S) 082 782 0668

Uys van der Westhuijzen

Uitvoerende lid van Agri SA se Sentrum van Uitnermendheid: Landelike Veiligheid

(S) 083 321 9356

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Agri SA supports the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) revised Rural Safety Strategy that was launched today in Louis Trichardt. The strategy highlights once again the urgent need to curb crime in rural and farming areas. If the strategy is implemented with committed dedication by the police, it will be a great success.

“The urgent implementation of the strategy by all stations commanders is necessary,” says Tommie Esterhuyse, chairperson of Agri SA’s Centre of Excellence: Rural Safety. “Otherwise the strategy will only be an excellent strategy sitting on the shelf gathering dust.”

 Rampant crime affects not only the farmer but also farm workers and the rural community. These crimes not only pose a threat to the stability in the rural farming areas and the country, but also puts food security at risk. The continued attacks on farmers and farm workers, high level of stock theft and the levels of farm infrastructure destruction, requires an effective strategy to deal with these issues.

Agri SA believes that the Rural Safety Strategy is the most appropriate vehicle to deal with these crime issues.

“It is however concerning that the reservist system, which forms the backbone of the strategy, is over years not yet fully implemented,” says Esterhuyse. “We call on the police to actively promote the reservist system and make it possible for farming and rural communities to participate and play a role in securing their environment. The police must commit themselves to make the necessary resources available to the reservists and the strategy.”

 Agri SA has always had a constructive relationship with the police, especially concerning matters of safety and security and would like to congratulate the police on the development and finalisation of the strategy.

“We believe that it is the only workable strategy with a focus on combatting farm attacks, stock theft and farm infrastructure theft,” says Esterhuyse “The strategy will address organised crime incidents, stock theft and the theft non-ferrous metals as well as cross-border crime. The establishment of rapid response teams to respond to rural crime incidents of a violent or organised nature is further welcomed.”

Agri SA will do everything in its power to co-operate with the police in implementing the strategy and thereby assisting farming communities to safeguard themselves. The Rural Safety Strategy can be found on the SAPS website.

Enquiries:

Tommie Esterhuyse

Chairperson of Agri SA’s Centre of Excellence: Rural Safety

(C) 082 782 0668

Uys van der Westhuijzen

Executive member of Agri SA’s Centre of Excellence: Rural Safety

(C) 083 321 9356