Free State farmers accuse cops of not caring about livestock enough

Free State Agriculture (FSA) and the Red Meat Producers Organisation (RPO) have accused the SA Police Service (SAPS) of economically sabotaging livestock farmers.

The FSA’s Rural Safety Committee said they were concerned that police did not regard stock theft as a priority crime.

The SAPS’s alleged disregard for the farmers’ plight has cost the agricultural industry millions, it alleges.

Dr Jane Buys, a safety risk analyst at the FSA, said farming communities in the area had reported losses of up to R10 million per year.

“High-risk areas include Brandfort, Ladybrand, Heilbron, and Fouriesburg. They are currently under great pressure due to increases in stock theft,” said Buys.

Border towns along the Lesotho border, in particular, had experienced a drastic increase in stock theft.

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“Stock theft is an organised crime that is run by syndicates,” said Buys.

She said the SAPS needed to supplement its response teams with other role players such as the Hawks’ organised crime unit.

Farmers were doing what they could to try to protect their property, especially livestock, as much as possible. But they were still vulnerable.

FSA chairperson Jakkals le Roux said: “For farmers, this situation leads to economic ruin, which seriously undermines the agricultural sector. Not to mention the impact it has on emerging and subsistence farmers.”

Le Roux said the police’s disregard for their plight was deterring them from reporting incidences because they felt it was a waste of time.

“Due to the shortages, crime scenes are not effectively investigated, and detectives sometimes show up days after a case has been reported,” said Le Roux.

The FSA and the RPO are demanding that police step up their workforce, vehicles and equipment available to ensure the survival of the province’s agricultural sector.

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