Boerderygemeenskap se veiligheid is prioriteit / Farming community’s safety is a priority

English to follow:

19 Augustus 2019

 “Die veiligheid van die boerderygemeenskap in Suid-Afrika is ‘n prioriteit vir die Agri Securitas Trustfonds. Daarom het die Trustfonds pas weer geld bewillig om nagenoeg 420 boere en 15 500 plaaswerkers regoor Suid-Afrika te help beveilig deur ‘n geldelike skenking van meer as R1,5 miljoen aan twaalf boereverenigings te bewillig vir die oprigting van kameranetwerke en die aankoop van veiligheidstoerusting”, sê Japie Grobler, voorsitter Agri Securitas Trustfonds.

“Die veiligheid van ons landbouers en plaaswerkers is belangrik en met die finansiële bydrae poog die Trustfonds om die bate wat verantwoordelik is vir stabiliteit en voedselsekerheid in die land te help beskerm. Die mate waartoe die landbougemeenskap onderworpe is aan gewelds- en eiendomsverwante misdade skep ‘n enorme probleem vir die sektor en daar moet daarvan kennis geneem word deur alle Suid-Afrikaners. Terselfdertyd moet daar ook ag geslaan word op die misdaadbedreiging van ander gemeenskappe in die land en die negatiewe implikasie wat dit op hulle reg tot veiligheid het”, sê Grobler.

Fondse is bewillig aan boereverenigings in die Noordwes-, Noord-Kaap-, Limpopo-, KwaZulu-Natal- en Wes-Kaap provinsie. Boereverenigings maak toenemend staat op die implementering van kamerastelsels wat aan hulle ‘n observasievermoë oor ‘n wye gebied verskaf. Met die stelsels kan verdagte voertuie en persone wat ‘n gebied betree geïdentifiseer word. Dit stel die gemeenskap dan in staat om vinnig te reageer en op te tree teen verdagte insidente.

Veediefstal is een van die grootste eiendomsverwagte misdade wat lede van die boereverenigings ervaar met groot finansiële verliese. Huisrowe is ‘n verdere misdaad, waaraan die landbougemeenskap blootgestel word, met die gepaardgaande traumatiese gevolge. Die diefstal en vernietiging van plaasinfrastruktuur en smokkelhandel is misdade waaraan die boerderygemeenskap toenemend blootgestel word. Daarom poog die Trustfonds, met ‘n bewese rekord en met die hulpbronne tot sy beskikking boerderygemeenskappe te help om hulleself te beskerm.

Grobler sluit af deur te sê dat, “die Trustfonds alle moontlike finansiële bydraes deur die korporatiewe- en privaatsektor sal waardeer om dit vir die fonds moontlik te maak om voort te gaan met sy werk, veral teen die agtergrond van die toenemende vraag na finansiële ondersteuning. Die Trustfonds bly ‘n neutrale en ideale platform om ‘n bydrae te maak tot die stryd teen landelike misdaad en die beveiliging van ons boerderygemeenskap”.

Navrae

Japie Grobler

Agri Securitas Trustfonds voorsitter

S:  082 825 8018

Kobus Visser

Agri SA Beleidshoof van Sentrum van Uitnemendheid:  Landelike Veiligheid

S:  082 388 0010

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 19 August 2019

“The safety of the farming community in South Afrika is a priority for the Agri Securitas Trust Fund; therefore, it has recently again allocated more than R1,5 million to approximately 420 farmers and 15 500 farm workers across South Africa via 12 farmer associations for the installation of camera networks and the purchase of security equipment,” said Japie Grobler, chair of the Agri Securitas Trust Fund.

“The safety of our farmers and farm workers is important and, with the financial assistance of the Trust Fund, we help to protect the asset that is responsible for stability and food security in the country. The degree to which the farming community is subject to violence and property-related crime poses an enormous problem for the sector and all South Africans should be made aware of this. At the same time, we must also take note of the crime that threatens other communities in the country and the negative impact this has on their right to safety,” said Grobler.

Funds were allocated to farmer associations in Northwest, Northern Cape, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape. Farmer associations are to an increasing extent relying on camera systems which offer them observation capability over a wider area. With these systems, suspicious vehicles and people that access an area can be identified, which in turn enables the community to respond promptly in the case of suspicious incidents.

Stock theft is one of the main property-related crimes experienced by members of these farmer associations and which result in serious financial losses. The farming community is also subject to home burglaries and the accompanying trauma. The theft and destruction of farm infrastructure and smuggling are crimes to which the farming community is increasingly exposed. For this reason, the Trust Fund, with the funds at its disposal, attempts to contribute towards their protection.

Grobler concluded by saying: “The Trust Fund will appreciate all possible financial contributions from the corporate and private sector so that it can continue with its work, especially against the backdrop of the escalating demand for financial support. The Trust Fund remains a neutral and ideal platform to contribute towards the fight against rural crime and the protection of our farming community.”

Enquiries

Japie Grobler

Agri Securitas Trust Fund Chairman

C:  082 825 8018

Kobus Visser

Agri SA Head of Centre of Excellence: Rural Safety

C:  082 388 0010