Kwanalu » Foutiewe beriggewing skaad boere se beeld
Foutiewe beriggewing skaad boere se beeld
English see below – INACCURATE REPORTING DAMAGES FARMERS’ IMAGE
9 Januarie/January 2018
Foutiewe beriggewing deur die Gautengse- en Tarlton polisie aan die media oor die tragiese skietdood van ‘n plaaswerker in die Krugersdorp-omgewing het boere se naam deur die modder gesleep. Aanvanklike berigte het beweer dat ‘n boer ‘n trekkerbestuurder wat ‘n trekker gesteel het, doodgeskiet het. Latere berigte het egter bevestig dat ‘n sekuriteitsbeampte verantwoordelik was vir die skietdood van die plaaswerker. “Vals beriggewing oor die insident en swak joernalistieke werk het daartoe gelei dat boere se naam en beeld in die openbaar geskaad is. Die onnodige verspreiding van grafiese beeldmateriaal oor die insident het die waardigheid van die slagoffer aangetas. Dit en die vals beriggewing is onaanvaarbaar”, sê Dan Kriek, President van Agri SA.
Agri SA betoon graag sy medelye met die familie van die vermoorde plaaswerker en sê dat plaaswerkers ‘n belangrike deel van die landbou is en saam met boere verantwoordelik is om voedsel vir die land se mense te voorsien. Die Menseregtekommissie het in sy ondersoek in 2014 na veiligheidsuitdagings in plaasgemeenskappe bevind dat die goeie verhoudings tussen boere en plaaswerkers nie genoegsaam beklemtoon word nie en dat die negatiewe stereotipering van verhoudings op plase teengewerk moet word. Die verkeerde inligting rondom die Tarlton insident dra nie by tot die bevordering van verhoudinge in landelike gemeenskappe nie.
Sedert die skietdood van die plaaswerker Saterdagoggend, het die media die inligting wyd gedra, onder andere in die sosiale-media waar daar verwys is na “black people were being killed by white farmers” en dat die voorval rassisties gemotiveerd is. Die tipe inligting lei tot die polarisasie van gemeenskappe en is nie bevorderlik vir nasiebou nie. “Ek doen vandag ‘n beroep op die media en ander belanghebbendes om seker te maak dat inligting oor boere reg oorgedra word en dat die boerderygemeenskap nie onnodig veroordeel word vir dade waaraan hulle nie meegedoen het nie”, sê Kriek.
Uitsprake oor die Tarlton voorval en die verwysing na die boer as die skuldige party, gaan gewoonlik met emosie gepaard en die vorming van verkeerde persepsies oor boere in die breë samelewing. “Daar rus ‘n groot verantwoordelikheid op die polisie en die media om toe te sien dat misdaadverwante insidente en wie die skuldige party is, korrek deurgegee word”, sê Kriek ten slotte.
Mnr Dan Kriek, President Agri SA, 082 944 0566
INACCURATE REPORTING DAMAGES FARMERS’ IMAGE
Inaccurate reporting to the media by the Gauteng and Tarlton police regarding the tragic shooting death of a farm worker in the Krugersdorp area has tarnished the image of farmers. Initial reports alleged that a farmer had shot and killed a tractor driver who had stolen a tractor. Later reports confirmed, however, that a security officer had been responsible for the shooting of the farm worker. “False reporting on the incident and poor journalism resulted in farmers’ reputation and public image being tarnished. The unnecessary dissemination of images relating to the incident had a negative effect on the dignity of the victim. This, and the false reporting, is unacceptable,” says Agri SA President Dan Kriek.
Agri SA wishes to extend its condolences to the family of the murdered farm worker and reiterate that farm workers form an important part of agriculture and, together with farmers, are responsible for providing the people of the country with food. The Human Rights Commission, in its 2014 inquiry into security challenges in the farming community, found that the good relationship between farmers and farm workers was not emphasised enough and that negative stereotyping of relationships on farmers should be halted. The wrong information around the Tarlton incident does not help to promote relationships within rural communities.
Since the shooting of the farm worker on Saturday morning, the media has disseminated the information widely, also on social media, where reference was made to “black people being killed by white farmers” and allegations that the incident was racially motivated. This type of information results in the polarisation of communities and is not conducive to nation-building. “Today I call on the media and other stakeholders to ensure that information regarding farmers is reported correctly and that the farming community is not unnecessarily condemned for actions in which they had no part,” said Kriek.
Statements such as those regarding the Tarlton incident and the reference to farmers as the guilty party are usually accompanied by emotions and incorrect perceptions about farmers on the part of society at large. “The police and the media have an enormous responsibility to ensure that crime-related incidents and the identity of the guilty parties are correctly reported,” said Kriek in closing.
Mr Dan Kriek, President Agri SA, 082 944 0566
Mr Kobus Breytenbach, Chair of Agri SA’s Policy Committee on Rural Safety, 083 631 6844
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