Misdaad statistieke nie weerspieëling van mense se gevoel | Crime statistics not a reflection of what people feel
English to follow:
31 Julie 2020
“Die pas aangekondigde misdaad statistieke deur die Minister van Polisie weerspieël nie die gevoel van onveiligheid wat onder die boerderygemeenskap heers nie. Die vlaag plaasaanvalle en -moorde en veral die onlangs moorde in die Vaalharts-omgewing asook die hoë vlakke van eindomsverwante misdaad het daartoe gelei dat gemoedere bykans breekpunt bereik het. Dit raak al moeiliker om gemoedere te bestuur en daar moet daarvan kennis geneem word. Hierdie en ander gevalle van geweld in die landbou wat die boerderygemeenskap asook mede-Suid-Afrikaners daagliks raak, word ten sterkste veroordeel, sê Tommie Esterhuyse voorsitter van Agri SA se Sentrum van Uitnemendheid Landelike Veiligheid.
Die Minister van Polisie, Bheki Cele het vanoggend die jongste nasionale misdaadstatistiek bekend gemaak. Dit is kommerwekkend dat daar volgens die polisie, 49 plaasmoorde gedurende die 2019/2020 finansiële jaar voorgekom het. Dit is 49 moorde teveel en het die land ontneem van strategiese kundigheid op boerderygebied en armer gelaat aan kundigheid wat nou nodig is om ‘n bydrae te maak tot ekonomiese groei en voedselsekerheid.
Volgens die statistiek wat vanoggend vrygestel is, het moorde in die algemeen sedert 2011/2012 toegeneem met 37%. Die 2019/2020 finansiële jaar se moordsyfer was 1.4 % hoër as die vorige jaar en dit beteken dat moorde in Suid-Afrika nou reeds agt jaar lank aan die toeneem is. Ander opvallende statistiek wat bekendgemaak is, is dat twee van die sogenaamde trio-misdade naamlik, besigheidsrowe en motorkapings die afgelope jaar verder toegeneem het, onderskeidelik met 3.3% en 13.3%. Huisroof het weliswaar met 5,8 % teenoor die vorige jaar afgeneem maar is nog steeds 26% meer as wat dit in 2011/2012 was. Dit is veral hierdie tipe misdade waaraan die boerderygemeenskap daagliks aan blootgestel is en wat ‘n inbreuk maak op hulle lewenskwaliteit.
Daar moet erkenning gegee word aan die Vaalharts-gemeenskap wat gister onder baie moeilike omstandighede in solidariteit na die hof verrigtinge van die beskuldigdes opgeruk het. Sonder om in gewelddadige optrede betrokke te raak het hulle die land gewys hoe daar vreedsaam opgetree kan word om steeds jou stem duidelik te laat hoor sonder om te brand en te plunder. Die optrede is voorwaar ‘n les vir mede-Suid-Afrikaners. “Agri SA ondersteun wetsgehoorsame optrede soos die. Ons vertrou dat die beskuldigdes by skuldig bevinding die swaarste moontlike strawwe opgelê sal word. Die mense hoort nie in die samelewing nie!” sê Esterhuyse.
Die Agri Securitas Trustfonds se werk oor die jare om boerderygemeenskappe te beveilig, is prysenswaardig en lewer reeds uitstekende resultate. Die afgelope tyd is finansiële bydraes aan verskeie boereverenigings gemaak waardeur boere en plaaswerkers se veiligheid verbeter kan word. In ‘n wetsgehoorsame samelewing is hierdie tipe veiligheid ondersteuning nie nodig nie.
Agri SA het reeds ‘n versoek tot die Minister van Polisie gerig om dié veiligheid van die landbougemeenskap te bespreek in ‘n poging om oplossings vir die geweldskultuur in die boerderygebiede te vind. Agri SA sal voortgaan om op die veiligheidsterrein sy ledebelang te verteenwoordig. “Ons vertrou dat so ‘n afspraak binnekort sal plaasvind” sê Esterhuyse ten slotte.
Navrae:
Tommie Esterhuyse
Agri SA voorsitter van Sentrum vir Uitnemendheid: Landelike Veiligheid
Kobus Visser
Agri SA Direkteur: Landelike Veiligheid en Provinsiale Sake
************************************
“The crime statistics announced by the Minister of Police do not reflect the sense of insecurity experienced by the farming community. The spate of farm attacks and murders, and especially the recent murders in the Vaalharts area, as well as the high levels of property-related crime, have brought the mood virtually to breaking point. It is becoming increasingly difficult to manage the situation and it is important to take note of this. These and other incidents of violence which affect the farming community as well as fellow South Africans on a daily basis are strongly condemned,” said Tommie Esterhuyse, chair of Agri SA’s Centre of Excellence: Rural Safety.
The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, released the latest national crime statistics this morning. It is disturbing that, according to the police, 49 farm murders occurred during the 2019/2020 financial year. This is 49 murders too many and has deprived the country of strategic skills in the agricultural sector and robbed it of the expertise that is so sorely needed to contribute towards economic growth and food security.
According to the statistics released this morning, murders in general have increased by 37% since 2011/2012. The murder figure for the 2019/2020 financial year was 1,4% higher than the previous year, which means that murders have been escalating in South Africa for the past eight years. Other notable statistics released indicate that two of the so-called trio-crimes, namely business robberies and vehicle hijackings, further increased during the past year by 3,3% and 13,3%, respectively. Home robberies, however, declined by 5,8% compared to the previous year but are still 26% higher than the figure for 2011/2012. These are particular crimes experienced by farming communities on a daily basis and which detract from their quality of life.
We commend the Vaalharts community who yesterday under difficult circumstances marched in solidarity with the victims to the court where the suspects appeared. Through peaceful protest, they showed the country how to make their voices heard without resorting to arson and plunder. This should serve as a lesson to fellow South Africans. “Agri SA supports law-abiding actions such as this. We trust that the accused, if convicted, will receive the harshest possible sentences. These people do not belong in society!” said Esterhuyse.
The Agri Securitas Trust Fund’s work over the years to safeguard farming communities is praiseworthy and still yields excellent results. The Fund recently made financial contributions to various farmer associations to assist in improving the safety of farmers and farm workers. In a law-abiding society, this type of support would not be necessary.
Agri SA has already approached the Minister of Police for a meeting to discuss the safety of the agricultural community in an attempt to find solutions to the culture of violence experienced in farming areas. Agri SA will continue to represent its members’ interests in this regard. “We trust that such a meeting will take place soon,” said Esterhuyse.
Enquiries:
Tommie Esterhuyse
Chair of Agri SA’s Centre of Excellence: Rural Safety
Kobus Visser
Agri SA Director: Rural Safety and Provincial Affairs
