Kwanalu » Misdaadsyfers skokkend
Privaatsak / Private Bag X180 Centurion 0046, Tel +27 (0)12 643 3400, Faks/ Fax +27 (0)12 663 3178
SHOCKING CRIME STATISTICS – see English below
24 Oktober/October 2017
Agri SA merk met groot kommer dat dit uit die polisie se bekendmaking van die 2016-’17-misdaadsyfers blyk dat geweldsmisdaad in die afgelope boekjaar weereens toegeneem het.
“Geweldsmisdade het in die afgelope vier boekjare bly toeneem en sluit van die misdade in waaraan boere en landelike gemeenskappe die meeste blootgestel word,” se Kobus Breytenbach, voorsitter van Agri SA se landelike beveiligingskomitee.
Geweldsmisdade sluit in misdade soos moord, poging tot moord en rooftogte met verswarende omstandighede, waaronder die uiters gevreesde triomisdade (motorkapings, huis- en sakerooftogte) val.
Moord het met 1,8%, gewapende rooftogte met 6,4%, huisrooftogte met 7,4% en motorkapings met 14,5% toegeneem. Triomisdade het in totaal met ‘n skokkende 8,4% toegeneem.
Hoewel alle boere en landelike gemeenskappe wêreldwyd onder misdaad deurloop, is Suid-Afrikaanse boere die uitsondering weens die uiters gewelddadige aard van plaasaanvalle.
Meer as 8500 plaasaanvalle en 925 moorde het oor ‘n tydperk van 14 jaar plaasgevind en dit spreek boekdele van die volgehoue misdaadaanslag op boere en plaaswerkers.
“Só ‘n aanslag is nie bevorderlik vir voedselsekerheid nie en dit is belangrik om te onthou dat die landbou die enigste sektor was wat hoop laat opvlam het in die eerste en tweede kwartale van 2017. In die eerste kwartaal het die landbou 22% tot die ekonomie bygedra, wat tot 33,6% in die tweede kwartaal toegeneem het,” sê Breytenbach.
Hoewel Agri SA op beleidsvlak met die polisie, en uiteraard alle regeringsdepartemente, sal bly skakel om die implementering van die Landelike Beveiligingstrategie te bewerkstellig, is die Agri Securitas Trustfonds ‘n praktiese instrument om ‘n verskil te maak in boerderygemeenskappe.
Die Agri Securitas Trustfonds beywer hom onder meer vir bystand vir kommunikasienetwerke in landelike gemeenskappe, traumaberading op plaaslike vlak en oprigting van valhekke.
Daarby gee die Trustfonds op deurlopende wyse aandag aan die onderliggende persepsieprobleme wat moontlik tot plaasaanvalle en -moorde kan bydra en probeer ons daadwerklik om dit te verander deur skakeling met die regering en landelike gemeenskappe.
Mnr Kobus Breytenbach, Voorsitter van Agri SA se Beleidskomitee oor Landelike Veiligheid, 083 631 6844
Mnr Kobus Visser, Direkteur: Korporatiewe Skakeling, Agri SA, 012-643 3400 of 082 388 0010
SHOCKING CRIME STATISTICS
Agri SA has noted with concern the police’s announcement of the 2016-17 crime statistics which indicate that violent crime has again increased during the past financial year.
“Violent crime has increased constantly over the past four financial years and includes those crimes to which farmers and rural communities are most exposed,” said Kobus Breytenbach, chair of Agri SA’s rural safety committee.
Violent crime includes murder, attempted murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances, among which the dreaded so-called Trio Crimes (car hijacking and house and business robberies).
Murder increased by 1,8%, armed robbery by 6,4%, home burglaries by 7,4% and car hijackings by 14,5%. Trio crimes combined increased by a shocking 8,4%.
Although all farmers and rural communities worldwide are subjected to crime, South Africa farmers are the exception given the extreme brutality of farm attacks.
Over the past few months, many farming communities have been traumatised by the gruesome farm attacks where the victims were subjected to extreme torture.
More than 8 500 farm attacks and 925 murders have occurred over a period of 14 years, which speaks volumes about the ongoing criminal assault on farmers and farm workers.
“Such an onslaught is not conducive to food security. It is also important to remember that agriculture is the only sector that raised a glimmer of hope for the economy during the first and second quarters of 2017. In the first quarter agriculture contributed 22% to the economy, which increased to 33,6% in the second quarter,” said Breytenbach.
Although Agri SA will continue to liaise with the police and all state departments on policy level to facilitate the implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy, the Agri Securitas Trust Fund is a practical instrument for making a difference in farming communities.
The Agri Securitas Trust Fund strives to contribute towards the funding of communication networks in rural communities, trauma counselling at local level and the erection of booms.
In addition, the Trust Fund attends on an ongoing basis to the underlying misperceptions that can possibly contribute towards farm attacks and murders and is trying to effectively change these perceptions through liaison with the government and rural communities.
Mr Kobus Breytenbach, Chair of Agri SA’s Policy Committee on Rural Safety Committee, 083 631 6844
Mr Kobus Visser, Agri SA, Director: Corporate Liaison, 012-643 3400 or 082 388 0010
AGRI SA ON THE MEDIUM-TERM BUDGET POLICY STATEMENT (MTBPS) EXPECTATION