Geweld teen plaasgemeenskappe moet stop

SEE English below:   VIOLENCE AGAINST FARM COMMUNITIES MUST STOP

 

26 Oktober/October 2017

 

Geweld teen plaasgemeenskappe moet stop

 

Suid-Afrika kan nie bekostig dat die geweldskultuur in die land plaasgemeenskappe verder teister nie. Plaasaanvalle en die wreedaardigheid daarvan moet deur alle Suid-Afrikaners ten sterkste veroordeel word.

 

“Ons dink aan duisende mede Suid-Afrikaners wat die afgelope jaar hulle lewens weens geweldsmisdade verloor het, 52 moorde per dag! Baie boere en plaaswerkers tel onder diegene wat met hulle lewens die hoogste prys betaal het”, sê Dan Kriek, president van Agri SA.

 

34 000 Boere hanteer tans droogtes, natuurrampe, beleidsonsekerheid en moet ook aanslae op hulle lewens afweer, terwyl hulle kos produseer vir 55 miljoen Suid-Afrikaners. Een boer voed 1600 mense elke dag. Al die faktore kan oor die langer termyn voedseltekorte tot gevolg hê en daarmee saam stabiliteit in die land benadeel.

 

Die tyd het lank reeds aangebreek dat die publiek en regering moet kennis neem van die wreedheid van plaasaanvalle, asook die aanslag op lede van die boerderygemeenskap en daarom ondersteun Agri SA die bewusmakingsveldtog Maandag, 30 Oktober 2017 dat mede Suid-Afrikaners as blyk van meelewing swart klere sal dra.

 

“Boere is kwesbaar en daarom is paraatheid op huishoudelike vlak en gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid van belang om die geweldsaanslag af te weer. Een van die pilare vir gemeenskapsdeelname aan landelike veiligheid, is die implementering van die Landelike Beveiligingstrategie. Om pro-aktief te wees beteken dat die individu en gemeenskap op enige voorval bedag en gereed moet wees en dit kan slegs bereik word, wanneer boere en plaaswerkers binne georganiseerde landboustrukture betrokke is”, sê Kriek.

 

Binne die Agri SA groep, speel die Agri Securitas Trustfonds ‘n belangrike rol om plaasgemeenskappe teen plaasaanvalle te help beveilig. In die praktyk voorsien die Trustfonds toerusting soos kommunikasienetwerke, kamera-stelsels, misdaadbekampingstoerusting en vele meer, aan die gemeenskappe. Die fonds is ook betrokke om traumaberading te verskaf, waar gemeenskappe dit benodig.

 

Die Trustfonds is maar een van die instrumente wat gebruik word om plaasgemeenskappe te beveilig en Agri SA sal voortgaan met sy beïnvloedingsrol om binne die regeringsopset oplossings vir plaasaanvalle te soek.  Agri SA doen ‘n beroep op die Suid-Afrikaanse sakegemeenskap om die inisiatiewe van Agri SA te ondersteun en betrokke te raak by die groep.

 

Ten slotte sê Kriek, “ek is deeglik bewus van die emosionele spanning waaronder plaasgemeenskappe verkeer en dat Agri SA en sy provinsiale organisasies sal aanhou soek na oplossings om die gewelddadige aanslag teen ons boeregemeenskappe te stop”.

 

Uitgereik deur Agri SA, Direktoraat:  Korporatiewe Skakeling

Navrae

Mnr Dan Kriek, President Agri SA, 082 944 0566

Mnr Omri van Zyl, Uitvoerende Direkteur, Agri SA, 012-643 3400 of 082 417 5724

 

 

 

VIOLENCE AGAINST FARM COMMUNITIES MUST STOP

 

South Africa cannot afford any further violence against farming communities. Farm attacks and the brutality thereof must be strongly condemned by all South Africans.

 

“We think of the thousands of fellow South Africans who have lost their lives during the past year as a result of violent crime, 52 murders a day! Many farmers and farm workers count among those who have paid the highest price,” said Agri SA President Dan Kriek.

 

34 000 Farmers are suffering the effects of drought, natural disasters and policy uncertainty, while also trying to protect their lives and produce food for 55 million South Africans. One farmer feeds 1 600 people a day. All these factors can in time give rise to food shortages, accompanied by instability in the country.

 

It has long been time for the public and the government to take note of the brutality of farm attacks, as well as the onslaught aimed at members of the farming community. For this reason, Agri SA supports the awareness campaign that kicks off on Monday, 30 October 2017, with South Africans expressing their support by wearing black.

 

“Farmers are vulnerable, and it is therefore important to be prepared at household level and, through community involvement, to curb this violent onslaught. One of the pillars for community participation in rural safety is the implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy. Becoming more proactive means that the individual and community must be ready and prepared for any event and this is only possible when farmers and farm workers are involved in the structures of organised agriculture,” said Kriek.

 

Within the Agri SA group, the Agri Securitas Trust Fund plays an important role in safeguarding farmers. In practice, the Trust Fund makes equipment such as communication networks, camera systems, crime-fighting equipment, etc. available to communities. This fund is also involved in providing trauma counselling where communities require it.

 

The Trust Fund is but one of the instruments used to protect farm communities and Agri SA will continue to play a lobbying role within government context to seek solutions in this regard. Agri SA also calls on the South African business community to support these initiatives and to become involved in the Agri SA group.

 

In closing, Kriek said: “I am fully aware of the emotional stress experienced within farming communities and that Agri SA and its provincial organisations will continue to seek solutions to stop the violent onslaught waged against our farming communities.”

 

Issued by Agri SA, Directorate:  Corporate Liaison

Enquiries

Mr Dan Kriek, President Agri SA, 082 944 0566

Mr Omri van Zyl, Executive Director, Agri SA, 012-643 3400 or 082 417 5724