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Free State Agriculture meets with US Consulate on Safety

The crime situation on agricultural land in the Free State, problems and shortcomings in the justice system and how rural safety can be improved. This was, among other things, on the agenda when Free State Agriculture’s (FSA) Rural Safety Committee recently met with a delegation from the US Consulate, led by Robert Chase Thompson.

According to Dr Jane Buys, Safety and Risk Analyst at FSA, possible solutions to address the above shortcomings were also discussed at the meeting, which took place on 19 November 2019 in Bloemfontein.

“A major focus also was the situation and conditions experienced by agricultural communities along the border between South Africa and Lesotho,” she says.

According to her further talks with the consulate and new US ambassador, Lana Marks, may follow in future.

Increase in Farm Attacks in November 

The number of farm attacks that occurred in the Free State in November 2019 is more than the same time last year. This is according to information from the Free State Agriculture (FSA) VKB Safety Desk.

Farmers are also warned not to try to sell livestock or agricultural products from their farms as this makes them potential targets of farm attacks.

According to this safety desk, there was an increase in farm attacks in the province in November. In 2019 there were five farm attacks, while last year there were two (where a worker and producers were robbed).

According to Dr Jane Buys, Safety and Risk Analyst at FSA, workers were targets of attacks three times during this month in 2019. In these incidents a vehicle, corrugated iron and firearms were stolen from farms. In the other two attacks, a producer and emerging farmer were targets. Cellphones were stolen and a false motive of buying livestock was also used.

Buys says the five incidents in November 2019 occurred in the areas of Bloemspruit, Bothaville, Clocolan, Smithfield and Winburg.

 

Don’t sell livestock, farm products from farm

“Farmers must please be vigilant not to sell livestock or other agricultural products from their farms. It makes them a potential target of a farm attack,” says Buys.

According to her, livestock owners appear to be selling their livestock from their farms due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease and a ban on livestock sales and auctions.

She believes this could also go hand in hand with the run-up to the festive season, where farms are increasingly becoming targets of so-called “livestock buyers”. They then make enquiries about buying sheep or cattle for the festive season.

Buys says it also appears that the robbery of diesel with “tapkarre” from farms in areas such as Delmas, Vereeniging and Welkom occurred in November 2019.

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