The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on authorities in the North West to ensure that they prioritise rural safety. The party says the province is amongst those where farm killings are recorded.
This concern was raised during a march to Mmabatho Stadium in Mahikeng, where North West Premier, Job Mokgoro, was delivered his State of the Province Address (SOPA).
Attending a march and picket to highlight the impact of unbridled crime on the rural economy. We want special rural safety units and our borders protected from criminals who cross them undocumented with impunity every day. pic.twitter.com/5X9U4tRl3n
— Athol Trollip (@AtholT) February 15, 2019
The DA members marched against what they call, lack of commitment by the ruling party in ensuring rural safety.
The march was led by the party’s federal Chairperson, Athol Trollip and North West party leader, Joe Macgluwa.
According to the South African Police Services (SAPS) statistics, between 2016/2017, 638 incidents where farmers have been attacked have been reported across the country. 74 of those are murders.
In the North West, 49 murders have been recorded in the last two years.
DA’s Federal Chairperson, Athol Trollip, says the increasing of farm murders is alarming.
“Crime in the rural areas of SA is out of control, especially on the Northern boundary areas of this country. And I want to talk specifically about rural crimes that affect the agricultural sector. We’ve seen that this province in the last six years has had the highest of farm attacks – 722. In fact last year, for the first time, Gauteng had more than they had in this province. This has been notoriously bad, and every time a farmer is killed or a farm worker is killed, it compromises the rural and agricultural economy.”
Trollip says stock theft is also crippling the country’s agricultural sector.
“Stock theft in SA, there were 28 800 incidents of stock theft last year. It increased by nearly 2000 from the year before that. We lose R7 billion worth of livestock every single year. The statistics are scary – 151 cattle is stolen a day, 182 sheep, 117 goats that’s what’s stolen every single day in SA.”
The DA says it will continue putting pressure on authorities to ensure that these concerns are addressed.
