Plaasveiligheid: die eerste nasionale prioriteit | Farm safety: the first national priority

English to follow…

Agri SA wil saam met Agri Wes-Kaap die onlangse moord op Stefan Smit, ’n boer van Stellenbosch, ten sterkste veroordeel. Agri SA wil ook graag sy medelye met die Smit gesin betuig. Hy sal onthou word as ’n staatmaker en leier binne sy gemeenskap. Sy dood is ’n enorme verlies.

“Stefan het ’n groot rol in sy gemeenskap gespeel en was nou betrokke met aksies om landbou in die Wes-Kaap te bevorder,” sê Cornie Swart, Agri Wes-Kaap President. “Elke plaasaanval is tragies, daar is te veel om te noem, en Stefan se moord is nog ’n groot skok vir ons mense.”

 Plaasaanvalle is ’n probleem wat oor ‘n lang tyd nie die nodige aandag van nasionale regering ontvang het nie. Plaasaanvalle is meestal brutaal en gewelddadig met ’n wye impak op die naasbestaandes en die gemeenskap. Agri SA ondersteun Agri Wes-Kaap en die provinsiale regering se werksaamhede en het reeds met President Cyril Ramaphosa geskakel om onmiddellike optrede te eis.

“Plaasveiligheid, vir boere en plaaswerkers, is President Ramaphosa se eerste prioriteit teenoor die landbou-gemeenskap,” sê Dan Kriek, Agri SA President. “President Ramaphosa het in April voor die nasionale verkiesing beloftes gemaak dat boere beveilig sal word en ons sal nou optrede eis. Ons kan nie behoorlik aan ander beleidspunte aandag gee as die veiligheid van ons boere geensins gewaarborg word nie. ’n Nasionale plan gerugsteun deur aansienlike hulpbronne, effektiewe polisiëring en effektiewe werking van die regstelsel wat met dringendheid uitgerol word, is nou nodig.”

 Die moord op Smit wys dat groter samewerking tussen alle rolspelers vereis word.

Boereverenigings word aangemoedig om met die Agri Securitas Trustfonds te skakel om te sien in watter mate die fonds kan help met beveiliging. Agri Securitas bestaan sedert 1999 en het sedertdien vele landbouverenigings met sekuriteit-infrastruktuur gehelp.

Verdere inligting kan op https://www.agrisa.co.za/agriSecuritas verkry word.

Navrae:

Christo van der Rheede

Agri SA Adjunk-uitvoerende Direkteur

(S) 083 380 3492

Dan Kriek

Agri SA President

(S) 082 944 0566

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4 June 2019

Agri SA, with Agri Western Cape, want to strongly condemn the recent murder of Stefan Smit, a farmer from Stellenbosch. Agri SA would also like to convey its condolences to the Smit family. He will be remembered as a loyal member and leader in his community. His death is a huge loss.

“Stefan played a major role in his community and was closely involved in actions to promote agriculture in the Western Cape,” says Cornie Swart, Agri Western Cape President. “Every farm attack is tragic, there are too many to mention, but Stefan’s murder is still a big shock.”

Farm attacks are not receiving the necessary attention from national government. Farm attacks are overwhelmingly brutal and violent with a far-reaching impact on the family and the community. Agri SA supports Agri Western Cape and the provincial government’s actions and will elevate the issue to President Cyril Ramaphosa and demand immediate action.

“Farm safety, for farmers and farm workers, is President Ramaphosa’s first priority to the agricultural community,” says Dan Kriek, Agri SA President. “President Ramaphosa made promises in April before the national election that farmers will be safeguarded, and we will now demand action. We cannot give effect to other policies if the safety of our farmers is by no means guaranteed. A national plan backed by substantial resources, effective policing and an effective justice system which can be implemented with urgency, is needed now. “

The murder of Smit shows that greater cooperation between role-players are needed.

Farmers’ associations are encouraged to liaise with the Agri Securitas Trust Fund to see to what extent the fund can help with safeguarding. Agri Securitas has existed since 1999 and has since helped many agricultural associations with security infrastructure.

Further information can be obtained at https://www.agrisa.co.za/agriSecuritas.

Enquiries:

Christo van der Rheede

Agri SA Deputy Executive Director

(C) 083 380 3492

Dan Kriek

Agri SA President

(C) 082 944 0566