Cele denies saying farmers should expect to get hurt

Police Minister Bheki Cele denied he would be so irresponsible as to say farmers should not complain if they get hurt.

This after FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald accused him of inciting violence in rural communities.

At the start of a meeting with the Portfolio Committee with Police on Tuesday, Cele said there appeared to be a slight increase in crime in the farming community.

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“Most of the people have been arrested, but we would have like to have been better at prevention,” he added.

During the question session, Groenewald took him to task.

Two weeks ago, it was reported Cele held a meeting with the farming community of Normandien in KwaZulu-Natal, where Glen and Vida Rafferty were murdered in early September.

Normandien Agricultural Association chairperson Roland Collyer, also a nephew of the Rafferty couple, told Landbou he was disappointed by what Cele had said at the meeting in response to a livestock issue.

He told the publication Cele allegedly said at the meeting “farmers should not complain if they get hurt after they impounded cattle”.

Groenewald said it was with sadness he had to ask Cele about that statement.

Example

“You must set an example. You made a statement when you lost your temper in Normandien and you said farmers must not complain when they get injured or hurt,” he added. “What did you mean?

“I’m telling you that you are inciting violence. It is totally unacceptable that the minister of police can make statements that farmers must not complain when they are hurt.”

ANC MP Princess Faku came to Cele’s defence, saying sometimes black farmers complained Cele appeared to care more about white ones.

“In KwaZulu-Natal, when there were farm murders, he was the first person to go to KwaZulu-Natal,” she said.

Faku warned against politicising farm murders and said the ANC did not want any.

Responding to Groenewald’s complaint, Cele said: “That statement was never said by me. I never said so. I would not be so irresponsible.”

He added he did chide a farmer who he felt spoke to him arrogantly.

Groenewald said the committee must look into why those words were attributed to Cele.

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