Stock theft is covered on the “Animal husbandry” page.
Before COVID-19, seven out of 10 farming units experienced one or other form of crime and 37,2% of farmers experienced theft of infrastructure (Agri SA, 2019). The national farmers’ organisation placed the overall agricultural crime related cost at R7, 7 billion. In addition, farmers spent some R1.9 billion on security measures in 2018 (Van Burick, 2019).
Some of the crimes may be opportunistic, but there is also evidence of organisation to the degree that the possibility of syndicates must be acknowledged (Agri SA & FSA, 2018).
The murder rate from farm attacks, in particular, has drawn much attention – or very little – depending on who you are and how you have experienced it. In the past, farmer groups and representatives took the matter to The Hague and overseas television, drawing international censure against farm attacks in South Africa.
This is obviously an issue in agricultural circles, and it should be one beyond this. Farmers make a country food secure. It is not in a country’s interest that this sector is exposed to violent threat to the extent that people leave the sector and possible new entrants are discouraged from doing so.
Numerous farm attacks are prevented through early observation and detection of suspicious vehicles/persons moving in rural areas by both workers and farmers (FSA, 2018).
A number of safety tips have been passed on to farmers.
Sources: www.agrisa.co.za; www.saps.gov.za , Kobus Visser (Agri SA) and Perpetrators of farm attacks: An Offender Profile, D Mistry & JDhlamini, 2001.
Safety and security leads to increased confidence in the economy and social structures.
Read the Parliamentary Monitoring Group‘s account “The living and working conditions of farmworkers, farm dwellers and farmers: engagement with relevant departments, with DALRRD Minister present” (16 September 2022), which includes the presentation “RURAL SAFETY STRATEGY BRIEFING”.
The National Development Plan (NDP) chapter 12 is “Building safer communities”. It sees the importance of an “integrated approach to make safety and security a reality for all South Africans in 2030”, and sets out practical measures towards this.
The Rural Safety Strategy (RSS) was developed in 2009/10 as a collaboration between the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), agricultural unions, the then Department of Agriculture and Land Affairs and the South African Police Services (SAPS). It has been revised and 2019 saw statements of support from role players. The RSS focuses on preventing farm attacks, stock theft, and farm infrastructure destruction.
“The good partnership approach within the RSS contributes significantly to the success in terms of a pro-active approach on farm attacks. Only 5 producers who are members of organized agriculture were targeted in farm attacks the past financial year in the Free State. It could be deducted that the involvement of farming communities to participate within the RSS, by building and improving relationships with SAPS, neighbors, communities, workers/dwellers on farms; to improve communication networks through safety WhatsApp groups and radio networks; by sharing information on pro-active and preventative measures; and lastly to enable them through training workshops by both organized agriculture and SAPS as to how to act/react in emergency situations, definitely contributes to safer rural areas and farming communities in the Free State” (FSA, 2018).
www.justice.gov.za and www.dcs.gov.za
Find crime statistics on the website, www.statssa.gov.za.
Regulates the private security industry. See www.psira.co.za.
Visit the websites of role players listed earlier on this page.
