Free State farm attacks increased to 79 in 2015 |White Genocide in South Africa #StopWhiteGenocideInSA
Free State farm attacks increased to 79 in 2015
Statistics of the VKB/FSA Safety Deskon rural crime in the Free State indicates that 79 farm attacks took place in 2015. In comparison with the statistics of 2013 and 2014, this is a significant increase as those statistics came to 36 and 52 respectively.
Plaasaanvalle neem toe in die Vrystaat in 2015/Farm attacks increase in the Free State in 2015
Plaasaanvalle neem toe in die Vrystaat in 2015
Statistiek wat die VKB/VL Veiligheidslessenaar byhou oor landelike misdaad in die Vrystaat dui aan dat 79 plaasaanvalle gedurende 2015 plaasgevind het. In vergelyking met die statistiek van 2013 en 2014 dui dit ’n beduidende styging aan, met dié jare se statistiek wat onderskeidelik op 36 en 52 te staan gekom het.
’n Totaal van 22 moorde op plase is in 2015 aangeteken, waarvan 14 plaaswerkers en kinders was. Altesaam 24 moorde is in 2014 gepleeg, waarvan 15 werkers was, terwyl 28 moorde in 2013 gepleeg is, met 23 van dié moorde wat op werkers was. Sedert die begin van 2013 het sowat 248 ernstige geweldsmisdade (EGM’s), wat 165 aanvalle op landbougrond in die Vrystaat insluit, op plase en/of kleinhoewes plaasgevind. Die misdade word as volg gelys:
28 (23 werkers)
24 (15 werkers)
22 (14 werkers, kinders)
Dié statistiek, in ooreenstemming met die Polisie se statistiek soos in September 2015 vrygestel, dui ’n toename in huisrowe op plase aan. Dit is ook duidelik uit bogenoemde syfers dat aanvalle op landbouers, hul families en werkers aan’t toeneem is sedert 2013, en dat daadwerklike stappe deur die Regering en die Polisie benodig word om dit effektief aan te spreek.
Die Vrystaat bestaan uit 76 dorpe met boerdery gemeenskappe waarvan 26 in 2013, 35 in 2014, 50 in 2015 aanvalle beleef het. ’n Totaal van 35 van die dorpe se boerdery gemeenskappe het 2 en tot selfs 5 aanvalle in ‘n jaar periode beleef. Altesaam 9 dorpe het 5 tot 9 aanvalle beleef, met Bloemfontein distrik wat die grootste prioriteit hiervoor geniet, gevolg deur Bothaville, Vredefort, Bethlehem, Virginia, Odendaalsrus, Welkom en Reitz. Die areas in die Vrystaat wat die meeste plaasaanvalle ervaar is Noord- en Wes-Vrystaat met 82 aanvalle, gevolg deur Suid-Vrystaat met 43 en Oos-Vrystaat met 40 aanvalle.
Van 2013 tot 2015 het die meeste aanvalle, 39, in die maande van April en Mei plaasgevind, met die tweede meeste aangeteken gedurende Januarie. Die meeste van die insidente, 47%, vind in daglig van 06:00 tot 18:00 plaas, terwyl 33% van voorvalle tussen 18:00 en middernag aangeteken is. ’n Totaal van 20% van voorvalle is tussen middernag en 06:00 aangeteken. Hiermee ’n versoek dat landbouers, hul families en werkers dus bedags baie waaksaam moet wees as hul op plase rondbeweeg. Sondae tot Dinsdae vind die meeste aanvalle (51.43%) op plase en kleinhoewes plaas, met die meeste op Sondae.
In 57 sake is 164 verdagtes gearresteer vir die pleging van plaasaanvalle in die Vrystaat vanaf 2013 tot en met 2015. Dit is ’n gemiddeld van nagenoeg 3 oortreders per saak, wat aandui dat slagoffers van plaasaanvalle of insidente totaal uitgelewer is aan misdadigers wat in groter groepe sodanige misdrywe pleeg. In 2015 is 80 verdagtes in 29 aanvalle aangekeer waar landbouers die Polisie behulpsaam was met die arrestasies deur hul mobilisasie.
“Die toename in plaasaanvalle is kommerwekkend, veral aangesien landelike Polisiestasies probleme ervaar met die beskikbaarheid van voertuie en mannekrag,” aldus Tommie Esterhuyse, voorsitter van Vrystaat Landbou se Wet en Orde komitee. Die organisasie is deurlopend in kontak met die Polisie se topstrukture om ook druk op nasionale strukture te plaas om tekortkominge in landelike gebiede daadwerklik aan te spreek. ’n Kwessie wat al lankal onder bespreking is, is die daarstel van ’n intelligensie struktuur deur die staat en die Polisie vir die Landelike Beveiligings Strategie, om in samewerking met landelike gemeenskappe en georganiseerde landbou meer voorkomend op te tree as re-aktief.
Esterhuyse wil na aanleiding van die statistiek weer ’n versoek aan landbouers rig om hulle werkers by hulle veiligheidsplanne in te sluit: “aangesien die statistiek ’n klemverskuiwing na plaaswerkers aandui, wat nog sagter teikens is. Soos met landbouers die geval is, kan die verlies van plaaswerkers ook op die ouend voedselsekerheid beïnvloed.”
Dit wil voorkom of groter betrokkenheid en inskakeling van landbouers by die Landelike Beveiligings Plan en veiligheidstrukture paraatheid opskerp, met slegs 14,5% van sodanige landbouers wat slagoffers was van aanvalle in 2015. Vrystaat Landbou wil dus weereens ’n versoek aan landbouers rig om betrokke te raak en in te skakel by hul plaaslike veiligheidstrukture en rolspelers.
In samewerking met die Polisie het Vrystaat Landbou se veiligheidstrukture gedurende 2015 meer as 10 plaasaanvalle voorkom. Beter samewerking word ook tussen landbouers en die Polisie ervaar, met die Polisie wat in talle gevalle landbouers se bystand versoek het. “Gegewe die tekortkominge wat by die Polisie bestaan het optrede en samewerking tussen veiligheidstrukture en die Polisie noodsaaklik geword,” aldus Esterhuyse.
Deur middel van gereelde gesprekke tussen Vrystaat Landbou se veiligheidstrukture met die Polisie, het die provinsiale Polisie hul ook voorgeneem om tydens 2016 elke tweede maand blou/witlig operasies in die provinsie te hou.
Die VKB/VL Veiligheidslessenaar is tans ook besig met ‘n uitgebreide navorsings dokument rakende die oorsake van plaasaanvalle in die Vrystaat. Dit word onderneem om te probeer bepaal waarom boerdery gemeenskappe voortdurend geteiken word deur kriminele asook die brutaliteit daaraan verbonde.
Vir meer inligting, skakel:
Tommie Esterhuyse – 082 782 0668
Dr. Jane Buys – VKB/VL Veiligheidslessenaar – 051 4444 609
Farm attacks increase in the Free State in 2015
A total of 22 murders were recorded on farms in the province last year, of which 14 were farm workers and children. A total of 24 murders were recorded in 2014, of which 15 were workers, while 28 murders took place in 2013, with 23 of these being farm workers. Since the beginning of 2013 a total of 248 serious violent crimes (SVC’s) took place on farms or small holdings. These include 165 farm attacks. The statistics can be listed as follows:
28 (23 workers)
24 (15 workers)
22 (14 workers, children)
These statistics, in accordance with the Police statistics as released in September 2015, indicate an increase in house robberies. From these statistics it is also clear that attacks on farmers, their families and their workers are on the increase since 2013, and active action is needed by government and the Police to effectively address this.
The Free State consists of 76 towns and their farming communities of which 26 experienced attacks in 2013, 35 in 2014 and 50 in 2015. A total of 35 of the towns’ farming communities experienced 2 to 5 attacks in a year period. A total of 9 towns experienced 5 to 9 attacks, with the Bloemfontein district enjoying the highest priority in this regard, with Bothaville, Vredefort, Bethlehem, Virginia, Odendaalsrus, Welkom and Reitz following. The areas in the province where the most attacks are experienced are the northern and western Free State with 82 attacks, followed by the southern and eastern Free State with 43 and 40 attacks respectively.
From 2013 to 2015 most attacks, 39, took place in the months of April and May. The second most were recorded during January. Most of the incidents, 47%, took place during the day (from 06:00 to 18:00) while 33% took place between 18:00 and midnight. In 20% of the cases the incidents took place between midnight and 06:00. We want to request farmers, their families and workers to please be alert while they move around on their farms during the day. Most attacks on farms and small holdings take place between Sundays and Tuesdays (51,43%), with the most recorded on Sundays.
A total of 164 suspects were arrested in 57 farm attacks from 2013 to 2015. This represents an average of 3 suspects per incident, which is an indication that the victims of farm attacks or incidents are at the mercy of larger groups of criminals who commit these offences. In 2015 a total of 80 suspects were arrested in 29 incidents were farmers assisted the Police with these arrests by means of their mobilisation.
“The increase in farm attacks are very worrying, especially taking into account the challenges that rural Police stations experience with regards to vehicles and manpower,” says Tommie Esterhuyse, chairperson of Free State Agriculture’s Law and Order committee. The organisation is continuously in contact with the Police’s top structures to also put national structures under pressure to address the shortcomings in rural areas. An issue that has been under discussion for a long time is the establishment of an intelligence structure by government and the Police for the Rural Safety Strategy, to be more pro-active with the support of rural communities and organised agriculture.
With regards to the statistics Esterhuyse would like to again call on farmers to include their workers in their safety plans, “seeing that the statistics indicate a shift to farm workers, who are even softer targets. Just like the loss of a farmer, the loss of a farm worker can also impact food security in the end.”
It appears that involvement with and participation in the Rural Safety Plan and safety structures increase alertness, with only 14,5% of these farmers being targets in attacks during 2015. Free State Agriculture would like to again request farmers to participate in their local safety structures.
More than 10 farm attacks were prevented in 2015 due to cooperation between the Police and Free State Agriculture’s safety structures. Better cooperation is also experienced between farmers and the Police, with the Police calling on farmers for assistance in many instances. “Given the shortcomings that exist, action and cooperation between safety structures and the Police have become essential,” says Esterhuyse.
By means of regular discussions between Free State Agriculture’s safety structures and the Police, the provincial Police have undertaken to hold blue/white light operations every two months in the province.
The VKB/FSA Safety Desk is currently undertaking an extended research document with regards to the causes of farm attacks in the Free State. The focus of the document will be to establish why farming communities are constantly targeted by criminals as well as the brutality seen in many attacks.
Dr. Jane Buys – VKB/FSA Safety Desk – 051 4444 609
■ 2015 farm murders
01 January 2015 to 31 December 2015