Concern over cross border crimes in the Free State
Free State Agriculture (FSA), representing more than 3,500 commercial farmers in the Free State, is very concerned about the increase in cross-border crimes occurring in farming communities, located between the RSA and Lesotho border.
The farm attack on 21 June 2020 on John Parr from the farm Yaxham in the Tweespruit area, is strongly condemned by FSA, says Francois Wilken, president of FSA. Parr, his wife, son-in-law and 2 children were attacked and assaulted by 5 armed attackers. The emotional damage to children that become victims of farm attacks, should get more priority.
According to Wilken, the cross-border situation is even worse than before the state of lockdown on the Covid-19 pandemic. The South African Police Service (SAPS) is currently restrained in terms of the Covid-19 pandemic to enter Lesotho in search of criminals committing cross-border crimes. Authorization is apparently not obtained by Interpol because it is refused at the highest level by the Lesotho government.
Criminals operating across borders have the leverage in hand, they have the charge in hand, targeting farming communities more whereby they become a bigger security threat to such communities. This situation cannot be accepted by FSA and farming communities. During the state of lockdown, more than 30 cross-border crimes took place where more than 300 stock (sheep and cattle) were stolen, of which nearly 100 were later recovered at the Caledonriver.
Other serious cross-border crimes include house burglaries, theft of solar panels, vehicles, tractors, bales of fodder and even assaults executed by certain Basothos on workers. In the Hobhouse area, there were 2 farm attacks during the state of lockdown where workers were attacked, assaulted and robbed of livestock by certain Basothos. Criminal complaints have been received from farming communities situated in towns adjacent to Lesotho, namely Clarens, Clocolan, Ficksburg, Hobhouse, Wepener and Zastron. The situation was already referred to Agri SA to address it with the government at the highest level for speedy resolving.
Police capabilities are currently limited in rural areas and FSA once again calls on the police to make greater capacity available especially in the border areas, says Tommie Esterhuyse, Vice Chairman of FSA. Greater co-operation between the police and the South African National Defense Force (SANDF), involving increased patrols, to prevent crimes is also requested. The increase in cross-border crimes leaves farmers with no choice but to take the law into their own hands in order to protect themselves, their families and their workers and to ensure food security. The food criminals eat 3 times a day also originates from farmers.
Jakkals le Roux, chairperson of FSA’s Rural Safety Committee, commends the farmers in the Tweespruit and Hobhouse areas for their prompt response and actions to assist the victims. The rapid response and actions of residents in order to respond to the criminal actions of the attackers are also applauded.
Such actions once again confirm that an organized agricultural structure within the Rural Safety Strategy, in collaboration with the police, is indispensable in order to arrest attackers and again emphasized that where the strategy is being implemented, crimes are being combatted with the police. FSA thanks fellow farmers for their prompt response and preparedness and will assist farmers and victims to ensure that justice is continuously served.
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