Only the DA has a plan to reintroduce rural safety units

23 April 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West again reiterates our call to bring back SAPS Rural Safety units – specifically after a second fatal farm attack took place in one week within the JB Marks area.

The second attack during the Easter weekend was fatal. A farmworker was found tied up and murdered in a farmhouse outside town.

The police did not reveal his name as his next of kin has not been notified. It is clear the perpetrators tried to break open a safe in the house but could not succeed.

This murder follows the brutal attack on the Coetzee family on their Vyfhoek farm.

During this attack, Marlu (9) was attacked and injured and had to undergo surgery. His dad Mario was left with serious head injuries. Mario’s mother and grandmother to Marlo, Nellie was hit with a torch and had to get stitches.

The attack that took place before Easter weekend was witnessed by Marlu’s sister Marize (7) who is also severely traumatised by the attack.

The reality, millions of people residing in rural communities are under siege due to violent and vicious crimes due to a failing police service presided over by a failing ANC government.

The ANC has lost the fight against crime and our rural areas are becoming war zones. Farmers and farmworkers are sitting ducks and the ANC simply ignore their plight.

The DA is on record, numerous times, calling for a police service that is well-resourced, well-trained and capable to fight all levels of crime in our communities.

The DA is the only party that has a plan to fix our country and will overhaul the police service and ensures that residents of North West, especially those living on farms or in the rural areas, are protected and feel safe in their own homes.

Issued by Joe McGluwa, DA North West Premier Candidate, 23 April 2019