Boere vra vir nugtere denke
Farmers ask for sober thinking – English below
20 November 2017
Boere vra vir nugtere denke
Suid-Afrikaners is keelvol vir misdaad en dít raak toenemend sigbaar omdat gemeenskappe opstaan en aan protesaksies deelneem.
Dan Kriek, president van Agri SA, sê dit is uiters belangrik dat misdaadbestryding ‘n inklusiewe proses moet wees, omdat dit ‘n probleem is wat álle Suid-Afrikaners raak.
Kriek sê Agri SA is genader om deel te neem aan ‘n protesoptrede na die Uniegebou in Pretoria wat op Saterdag, 25 November, gaan plaasvind. Agri SA het sy lede-organisasies (wat nege provinsiale-, 25 bedryfsorganisasies en 21 korporatiewe lede insluit) tydens ‘n uitgebreide konsultasieproses hieroor geraadpleeg. Verteenwoordigers van lede-organisasies het Agri SA op 13 November by die vergadering van Agri SA se landelike beveligingskomitee in Centurion versoek om nie aan die protesoptrede deel te neem nie.
Agri SA het na raming 28 500 boerelede en dra die belange van bykans 800 000 plaaswerkers op die hart. Sonder uitsondering het verteenwoordigers tydens die vergadering besluit dat dit nie nou die regte tyd is om by verdere protesoptredes betrokke te raak nie, omdat Swart Maandag die boodskap reeds baie duidelik aan die regering oorgedra het dat sy burgers nou genoeg gehad het van misdaad. Die gevoel onder ons lede is dat die inklusiewe karakter van Swart Maandag nou verpolitiseer kan word en dat politieke ondertone ons nie nader aan ‘n oplossing sal bring nie.
“Voedselsekerheid is die uitkoms van ‘n gesamentlike poging tussen kommersiële en opkomende landbouers en plaaswerkers en daarom is dit belangrik om inklusiewe oplossings vir die misdaadkwessie te vind,” sê Kriek. “Ons fokus is nou om oplossing-gedrewe te werk. Dis nou die tyd vir nugtere leierskap en kalmte. Landsburgers, boere en plaaswerkers moet hande vat en misdaad op grondvlak in ons eie gemeenskappe blootlê.”
Boere wil inklusief deelneem aan die proses om oplossings vir die reusagtige misdaadprobleem te vind en om die boodskap by die regering tuis te bring dat hulle ontevrede is met die manier waarop misdaad tans bestry word, sê Kriek.
“Agri SA veroordeel ten sterkste alle vorme van plaasgeweld en sal steeds die regering bly beïnvloed om dit effektief te bekamp,” sê hy. “Ons en die polisie is tans besig om oplossings te vind vir effektiewe implementering van strategie en beleid om landelike veiligheid te verbeter. Ons beskou hierdie proses, asook die oplossings wat dit kan bied, as ‘n prioriteit.”
Kriek sê boere dink deurgaans kreatief oor hul eie veiligheid en maak ál meer van tegnologie gebruik om misdaad te bestry.
Die Agri Securitas-trustfonds is die enigste en unieke vorm van praktiese hulp aan boerderygemeenskappe en is al jare lank reeds betrokke by die finansiering van radiokommunikasiestelsels, kameras, hommeltuie en toerusting wat tydens veiligheidsoptredes gebruik word. Duisende boere en plaaswerkers is reeds binne gemeenskapsverband deur Agri Securitas bygestaan om hul veiligheid te verbeter.
Agri SA verstaan dat boerderygemeenskappe gefrustreerd is, maar dit is nou die tyd om saam te staan om die misdaadeuwel inklusief te beveg. Misdaad kan ons verdeel, maar ons moet dit eerder as ‘n geleentheid gebruik om aan gesprekke deel te neem waarby almal betrokke is.
Agri SA wil die klem plaas op werklike grondvlakhulp aan alle boere en plaaswerkers. “Agri SA sal boerderygemeenskappe en plaaswerkers op praktiese vlak aanhou bystaan,” sê Kriek.
Uitgereik deur Agri SA, Direktoraat: Korporatiewe Skakeling
Navrae
Mnr Dan Kriek, President Agri SA, 082 944 0566
Mnr Christo van der Rheede, Adjunk Uitvoerende Direkteur, Agri SA, 012-643 3400 of 083 380 3492
Mnr Omri van Zyl, Uitvoerende Direkteur, Agri SA, 012-643 3400 of 082 417 5724
Farmers ask for sober thinking
South Africans are fed up with crime and this is becoming increasingly visible as communities rise up and participate in protest actions.
Dan Kriek, president of Agri SA, says that crime-fighting should be an inclusive process because it is a problem that affects all South Africans.
Kriek says Agri SA has been approached to participate in a protest march to the Union Buildings in Pretoria on Saturday, 25 November. Agri SA consulted its member organisations (including nine provincial and 25 commodity organisations and 21 corporate members) on this matter during an extensive consultation process. During a meeting of Agri SA’s rural safety committee on 13 November in Centurion, representatives of these member organisations urged Agri SA not to participate in the protest action.
Agri SA has approximately 28 500 farmers members and protects the interests of almost 800 000 farm workers. Without exception, representatives at the meeting decided that the time was not right to become involved in further protest actions, because the message that South Africans have had enough of crime has already been conveyed clearly to government on Black Monday. The feeling among our members is that the inclusive nature of Black Monday might now be politicised and that political undertones would not bring us closer to a solution.
“Food security is the outcome of a combined effort between commercial farmers, emerging farmers and farm workers and therefore it is important to find inclusive solutions to the crime problem,” says Kriek. “Our focus is now on working in a solution-driven manner. Now is the time for sober leadership and calmness. Civil society, including farmers and farmworkers, must join hands to expose crime at grassroots level within our own communities.”
“Farmers want to participate inclusively in the process of finding solutions to the massive crime problem and to bring home the message that they are dissatisfied with how crime is currently dealt with,” says Kriek.
“Agri SA strongly condemns all forms of farm violence and will continue to lobby the government to combat crime effectively,” he says. “We are working with the police to find solutions to effectively implement strategies and policies to improve rural safety. We regard this process, as well as the solutions it can offer, as a priority.”
Kriek says farmers are always thinking creatively about their own safety and are increasingly making use of technology to combat crime.
The Agri Securitas Trust Fund is the only – and unique – form of practical assistance to farming communities and has for years been involved in the funding of radio communication systems, cameras, drones and equipment used during security operations. Thousands of farmers and farm workers have already been assisted by the Agri Securitas Trust Fund within community context to improve their own safety.
Agri SA understands that farming communities are frustrated, but now is the time to stand together to combat this evil inclusively. Crime can divide us. We should rather use it as an opportunity to participate in discussions where everyone is involved.
Agri SA wishes to focus on giving practical assistance to all farmers and farm workers at grassroots level. “Agri SA will continue to support farming communities and farm workers on a practical basis,” says Kriek.
Issued by Agri SA, Directorate: Corporate Liaison