The South African Police Service and Agri SA have joined forces to better fight farm attacks.
“The parties expressed commitment to work together and to mobilise other agricultural unions such as Transvaal Agricultural Union and others in ensuring an enhanced implementation of the National Rural Safety Strategy to create a crime-free environment conducive to the reduction of serious and violent crime such as farm attacks and stock theft,” said the two organisations in a joint statement released on Tuesday.
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The police’s divisional commissioner of visible policing Lieutenant General MD Sempe met with the leadership of Agri SA on July 28 with the aim to strengthen the working relationship between the organisations and to address challenges emanating from the ongoing implementation of the revised National Rural Safety Strategy, said the statement.
“The National Rural Safety Strategy was initially implemented in 2011 and then reviewed during 2018 and 2019 after exhaustive consultation with stakeholders that included organised agriculture, farm workers unions and relevant government departments.”
The parties added that Police Minister Bheki Cele officiated at the launch of the reviewed National Rural Safety Strategy in Makhado, Limpopo, on 11 October 2019, where various stakeholders signed a pledge of commitment to rally behind the implementation of the strategy.
