DA calls on Premier Makhura to declare farm murders a hate crime

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng is calling on Premier David Makhura to declare farm murders a hate crime.

The DA believes that declaring farm murders a hate crime will curb the amount of farm attacks in the province.

A hate crime is one that typically involves violence and is motivated by prejudice on the basis of a defined characteristic. Most hate crimes include crimes committed on the basis of race, gender and religion.

In the case of rural communities, the DA believes that farmers and farm workers are being targeted because of certain characteristics and motivations. These include their relative isolation and vulnerability, the distance to police and also the age of farmers and farm workers. In addition to this, there is clear evidence of politicians and popular figures inciting crimes against farming communities.

For a long time now, the DA has been calling on provincial government to come up with a comprehensive plan to deal with rural safety in our province.

While rural safety is the joint responsibility of the Department of Community Safety and SAPS, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development should also be consulted so that they can assist the agriculture sector with rural safety and technology innovation around rural safety.

What is now required is the deployment of resources and the political will to bring about change.

The DA will continue its fight for safer rural and farming communities in Gauteng by:

  • Calling for the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee on rural safety to advise the GP cabinet;
  • Advocating for the direct subsidisation of private rural safety initiatives such as farm watches and farm patrols;
  • The provision of psychosocial support for farm workers who are victims of crime, in particular women and;
  • Requesting a Provincial Safety summit on Rural and farm Safety involving key stakeholders.

We will continue to put pressure on government to implement a concrete rural safety plan and to declare farm murders a hate crime. Our rural communities are tired of talk – they want action!

Thousands of residents concerned about rural safety in Gauteng

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Gauteng has received over 11 500 signatures on its petition to stop the war on rural communities across the province.

See the petition here: https://petitions.da.org.za/p/ruralcommunities.

Since the start of the year, there have been hundreds of violent crimes in rural areas across the country.

These attacks are carefully planned and correlate with the belief that guns, vehicles and cash are obtainable within relative obscurity given the isolation of settlements in rural areas

The South African Police Service (SAPS) Rural Safety Strategy has been a dismal failure.

In addition, police stations in the most hard-hit rural areas are understaffed, under-resourced and unable to curb crime.

The DA is calling on the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) to introduce a transversal approach to rural safety that includes the department of agriculture, social development and community safety.

For example, GDARD must be able to fund innovation in new technology such as surveillance drones, ShotSpotter and geo-fencing and can expand their extension services to include an approach to safety and community collaboration.

Farming plays an important role in creating job opportunities, food security and contributes to the GDP.

Where we govern in the Western Cape, an inter-ministerial team has been established to address rural safety. The Western Cape government is also engaging with district municipalities regarding their safety plans with a view to funding projects that focus on innovation, partnerships and technology yet in Gauteng not much has been done in terms of rural safety.

I will continue to put pressure on the Premier to implement best practice and call on all concerned South Africans to sign the petition.

Rural Crime a threat to Agriculture Industry

Madam Speaker,

Before we debate the budget, we need to clear an elephant from the House. Our farmers in Gauteng are finding it more difficult than ever to run their businesses because they spend large parts of the day looking over their shoulders. 

Gauteng is literally the rural crime hotspot of the world. Stock theft and violent rural crimes in our communities are out of control. The police have given up on us because they are overwhelmed in Gauteng. 

We are now also competing for spatial resources with Zama Zamas who settle in large numbers in abandoned mining areas. At the moment, it is grass fire season. When a fire breaks out at night, you have to choose between risking your life to go out and save some grazing, or risking your life by remaining at base to protect your livestock and the people in your care.

You may think that I should be making this speech to Community Safety, but without farmers who want to farm, GDARD does not need any budget.

Many interest groups and think tanks try to hijack the rural safety crisis to further a particular racial agenda. Their research papers and statistics are riddled with confirmation bias and with the police not keeping separate statistics, we really have no scientific baseline from which to design interventions. 

When I attend Bonsmara production auctions, and I put my finger on the pulse of the whole event, the way all of us do business together, outbid each other, swop stories and advice, I really wonder what these race mongers dream at night. All that we want, as farmers, it to trade peacefully, in relative safety, and prosper. The difference is that our continued desire to stay in this game, will affect the food security of our citizens.

Food security is an important issue in Singapore, as it currently imports more than 90 per cent of its food supply. This year, the government has set an ambitious target of having 30 per cent of Singapore’s nutritional needs produced locally by 2030.  So they called GROW, a new AgriFood Technology Accelerator located in Singapore and launched by AgFunder, the online venture capital investor and Rocket Seeder, the Australian agrifood accelerator.

GROW provides a unique value proposition to local, regional and international agtech and foodtech startups and will support growth in the Singapore and ASEAN agrifood ecosystem

GROW will assist the government to achieve this goal, by supporting 100 agrifood tech startups and scale-ups over the next 5 years. Imagine if GDARD did this.

Gauteng could become the destination of choice for agtech and foodtech startups.

Take some of the money you would have spent on research, and start a project to collect accurate statistics on rural crime; farmers from all sectors will be eager to assist the department. We also need a database of all animal branding that is made available on a shared platform to stop the sale of stolen stock at auctions.

Reach out to Vodacom and MTN- give them some money to ensure that we have adequate cellphone signal in the rural areas, without which our CPF Whatsapp groups cannot function and we often need to send location pins when we help each other.

Start an inter-ministerial task team together with Community Safety to drive the implementation of rural safety units. When a suspected perpetrator of a farm murder is in the dock- we would like to see the department there.

I note that the department does not intend transferring any funds to municipalities for this financial year. I was going to suggest the transfer of funds be used for security technology such as geofencing and drones, but both district municipalities – Merafong and the West Rand are currently undergoing business rescue. Seeing as though we are not sure what happened to the R8 miilion the department gave to WRDM for the Isigayo milling plant, it’s probably not a good idea.

In conclusion, we would like GDARD to look at us in the farming sector holistically- we are not a homogenous mass of poor beneficiaries of your “production inputs”. We are innovative and smart and collaborative, and given the right kind of hand-up from big business, we can grow our own businesses. The problem is that we are not safe- and thatshould keep GDARD awake at night.

Rural Crime a threat to Agriculture Industry

Before we debate the budget, we need to clear an elephant from the House. Our farmers in Gauteng are finding it more difficult than ever to run their businesses because they spend large parts of the day looking over their shoulders.

Gauteng is literally the rural crime hotspot of the world. Stock theft and violent rural crimes in our communities are out of control. The police have given up on us because they are overwhelmed in Gauteng.

We are now also competing for spatial resources with Zama Zamas who settle in large numbers in abandoned mining areas. At the moment, it is grass fire season. When a fire breaks out at night, you have to choose between risking your life to go out and save some grazing, or risking your life by remaining at base to protect your livestock and the people in your care.

You may think that I should be making this speech to Community Safety, but without farmers who want to farm, GDARD does not need any budget.

Many interest groups and think tanks try to hijack the rural safety crisis to further a particular racial agenda. Their research papers and statistics are riddled with confirmation bias and with the police not keeping separate statistics, we really have no scientific baseline from which to design interventions.

When I attend Bonsmara production auctions, and I put my finger on the pulse of the whole event, the way all of us do business together, outbid each other, swop stories and advice, I really wonder what these race mongers dream at night. All that we want, as farmers, it to trade peacefully, in relative safety, and prosper. The difference is that our continued desire to stay in this game, will affect the food security of our citizens.

Food security is an important issue in Singapore, as it currently imports more than 90 per cent of its food supply. This year, the government has set an ambitious target of having 30 per cent of Singapore’s nutritional needs produced locally by 2030.  So they called GROW, a new AgriFood Technology Accelerator located in Singapore and launched by AgFunder, the online venture capital investor and Rocket Seeder, the Australian agrifood accelerator.

GROW provides a unique value proposition to local, regional and international agtech and foodtech startups and will support growth in the Singapore and ASEAN agrifood ecosystem

GROW will assist the government to achieve this goal, by supporting 100 agrifood tech startups and scale-ups over the next 5 years. Imagine if GDARD did this.

Gauteng could become the destination of choice for agtech and foodtech startups.

Take some of the money you would have spent on research, and start a project to collect accurate statistics on rural crime; farmers from all sectors will be eager to assist the department. We also need a database of all animal branding that is made available on a shared platform to stop the sale of stolen stock at auctions.

Reach out to Vodacom and MTN- give them some money to ensure that we have adequate cellphone signal in the rural areas, without which our CPF Whatsapp groups cannot function and we often need to send location pins when we help each other.

Start an inter-ministerial task team together with Community Safety to drive the implementation of rural safety units. When a suspected perpetrator of a farm murder is in the dock- we would like to see the department there.

I note that the department does not intend transferring any funds to municipalities for this financial year. I was going to suggest the transfer of funds be used for security technology such as geofencing and drones, but both district municipalities – Merafong and the West Rand are currently undergoing business rescue. Seeing as though we are not sure what happened to the R8 miilion the department gave to WRDM for the Isigayo milling plant, it’s probably not a good idea.

In conclusion, we would like GDARD to look at us in the farming sector holistically- we are not a homogenous mass of poor beneficiaries of your “production inputs”. We are innovative and smart and collaborative, and given the right kind of hand-up from big business, we can grow our own businesses. The problem is that we are not safe- and that should keep GDARD awake at night.

#RuralSafety: Thousands petition the President to act on rural safety now!

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has received thousands of signatures from concerned residents petitioning President Cyril Ramaphosa to act to protect our rural communities.

The DA launched campaign last week on #RuralSafety as a result of the unprecedented number of attacks on people who live in rural communities.

A total number of 184 farm attacks and 20 farm murders have occurred in the country since the start of the year.

Gauteng has recorded the highest number of attacks with 51 incidents.

At the end of 2018 there were 29 000 reported cases of livestock theft in South Africa. This is costing us billions, and is taking its toll on our agricultural economy. A University of South Africa study on rural safety found that R1,3 billion was lost to livestock theft in one year.

The increased attacks on our farming communities is as a result of a lack of political leadership.

The government’s Rural Safety Strategy has been a dismal failure because police stations in the most hard-hit rural areas are understaffed and under-resourced. SAPS is increasingly unable to protect rural communities.

Farming plays a major role in creating employment opportunities, ensuring food security and contributing to the GDP.

To address this problem, we urgently need the following interventions:

• Rural Safety Units must be reintroduced and properly resourced;
• Innovation in new technology such as surveillance drones, ShotSpotter and
geofencing must be explored as a matter of urgency;
• SAPS must declare rural crime a priority, and keep separate and accurate statistics so
that the success or failure of interventions can be measured;
• The Reservist Programme in farm areas must be properly implemented with a
concerted effort to recruit and train farmers, farm workers and farm dwellers;

We call on all South Africans to help keep our rural communities safe by signing the below petition which is to be handed over to the President.

Food producers are a national asset and they cannot work if they are not safe.

Our rural communities are under siege, which is impacting on our food security. We need to act now! #RuralSafety.

Please follow this link to view and sign the petition:
https://petitions.da.org.za/p/ruralcommunities

#StopTheWarOnOurFood: DA petitions the President to act on rural safety now!

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has launched an online petition calling on President Cyril Ramaphosa to act on rural safety.

There has been an unprecedented number of attacks on people living on farms, rural areas and small holdings.

A total number of 184 farm attacks and 20 farm murders have occurred in the country since the start of the year.

Gauteng has recorded the highest number of attacks of 51 incidents.

The increased attacks on our farming communities is as a result of a lack of political leadership by SAPS.

Farming plays a major role in creating employment opportunities, food security and contribution to the GDP.

The government’s Rural Safety Strategy has been a dismal failure because police stations in the most hard-hit rural areas are understaffed and under-resourced. SAPS is increasingly unable to protect rural communities.

We urgently need the following interventions:

  • Rural Safety Units must be reintroduced and properly resourced;
  • Innovation in new technology such as surveillance drones, ShotSpotter and geofencing must be explored as a matter of urgency;
  • SAPS must keep accurate statistics so that the success or failure of interventions can be measured;
  • The Reservist Programme in farm areas must be properly implemented with a concerted effort to recruit and train farmers, farm workers and farm dwellers;

The DA-led Western Cape government is in a process of setting up an inter-ministerial rural safety committee to tackle issues of farm attacks and rural safety.  We believe that if the national government replicates what the DA Western Cape government is doing an immediate solution to curb these attacks can be found.

We call on all South Africans to help stop farm attacks by signing the below petition to be handed over to the President.

An attack on the farms is an attack on food security #StopTheWarOnOurFood.

Please follow this link to view and sign the petition:

https://petitions.da.org.za/p/ruralcommunities

Senseless farm attack in Fochville emphasizes need for Rural Safety Units

The DA is saddened by the senseless farm attack on a father and daughter on a plot just outside Fochville this morning.

The pair were preparing to leave for school when they were attacked on their property. The Father’s bakkie was stolen but later recovered in Bekkersdal.

It is alarming that when reporting the incident to SAPS, the SAPS member opening the case refused to categorize this crime as a farm attack, insisting rather that this should be classified as common assault.

The DA has, over a number of years, insisted that rural safety units should be established to deal with the unprecedented number of attacks on people living on farms, rural areas and small holdings.

It is for this reason that the DA will table the Community Safety Bill which will see the functions of the MEC for safety strengthened. The Bill will provide for new ways of monitoring, oversight and assessment of policing at provincial level, and to this end, a Provincial Police Ombudsman.

During this new term of office, the DA will ensure that through this Bill, these units become a reality and that those who live outside of urban centres are afforded the safety and security they deserve.

Another tragic rural murder underpins the need for specialised units

The senseless murder of Mr Willie Barnard on his farm just outside of Merafong once again highlights the urgent need for rural safety units to be re-established to keep those who live outside of urban areas safe.

Just yesterday, the DA raised the issue of rural safety in the Gauteng Legislature, calling on Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, to liaise with the Minister of Police, Fikile Mbalula, to re-establish these units to keep isolated communities safe.

Two suspects were apprehended by the local CPF in connection with Mr Barnard’s murder, while the response from SAPS was nonchalant.

MEC Nkosi-Malobane must ensure that all SAPS members are trained and briefed on the nature of rural crimes. Although Gauteng is a mostly urban province, there are vast tracts of it that are rural and in dire need of better policing.

This ANC-led government is doing the people of Gauteng a disservice by not implementing intelligent policing initiatives to keep all its residents safe from harm.

Each farmer, farm worker, their families and loved ones deserve to be protected from harm.

DA Debates Gauteng Community Safety 2015/16 Annual Report

Speech by: Kate Lorimer MPL

“DA’s proposals on running the Community Safety department”

  • The DA would ensure that real-time crime statistics would be publicly available in every police station at all times.
  • There would be stronger enforcement of road traffic rules using techniques such as speed over distance, increased stop and search, more focus on moving violations and drunk driving.
  • We would professionalise the management of SAPS resourcing and logistics by creating a national register.
  • The detective service will be bolstered by employing at least another 8500 detectives.
  • International best practice shows that specialised policing units promote the retention of skills and the development of expertise which results in better conviction rates. At a minimum the DA will re-introduce fully capacitated FCS, narcotics, gang, rural safety, stock theft and anti-hi-jacking units.
  • The DA would use ongoing sting operations to root out bribery in the public sector together with ensuring that officials who are proven to be corrupt will never be able to work in the public sector again.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

Speech by: Michele Clarke MPL

“Shifting the goal post will not achieve desired outcomes”

  • The only way we will be able to reduce crime is to address corruption, developing a highly skilled, well-resourced police force and re-introducing specialised units.
  • Structures such as youth desks, woman and men as safety promoters are non-existent and when they do exist it is merely a formality for the sake of compliance.
  • As long as the traffic policing is a non-essential service as determined in the Police Act we will never be able to reduce road fatalities.
  • The Department of Community Safety lacks real progressive management.

The full speech can be obtained here.

 

Media enquiries:

Kate Lorimer MPL

DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety

083 642 2727

 

Michele Clarke MPL

DA Gauteng Spokesperson on Community Safety

060 558 8299

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