Averted farm attack underlines importance of community safety structures

21 January 2020

The FF Plus commends the courage demonstrated by farmers and the community in Vredefort who committed themselves to the prevention of crime and who cooperated with the police to successfully avert a planned farm attack this past Sunday (19 January).

The intended attack on Pieter and Erna Rademan on the farm Goedgedacht was prevented by the police and the Vredefort Dome Community Policing Forum (CPF).

Amid the context of violence and political uncertainty that farmers across South Africa find themselves in, farmers must get involved and join community safety structures in their area and cooperate with the police.

Despite the statistics showing a slight decrease in farm murders in 2019, farm attacks and livestock theft are still on the rise. The government must take action and declare farm attacks a priority crime.

There are areas in the Free State where the police are failing to cooperate and where there is a lack of vital resources needed to ensure rural safety.

The FF Plus has been advocating for the establishment of a special rural safety unit that can focus on preventing farm attacks and livestock theft; such a unit should cooperate with farmers and other safety forums to combat crime successfully.

Issued by Jan van Niekerk, FF Plus provincial leader: Free State, 21 January 2020