Alhoewel die polisie sê dat hy voortgaan om prioriteit te gee aan plaasmoorde, is dit net lippetaal, aangesien die minister van polisie, Fikile Mbalula, meen die huidige stappe om boere te beskerm is voldoende, sê dr. Pieter Groenewald, leier van die VF Plus.
Dr. Groenewald sê die antwoord van die minister op ‘n geskrewe parlementêre vraag is teleurstellend en ‘n stap in die verkeerde rigting wat landelike beveiliging aanbetref. (Volledige vraag en antwoord hierby aangeheg).
Hy oorweeg nie spesialiseenhede vir landelike beveiliging nie en bou net voort op die bestaande landelike beveiligingstrategie, wat juis gebreke het, veral met die praktiese toepassing wat nie realiseer nie. Tans is daar ongeveer twintig polisiestasies in landelike gebiede wat nie eers aan die minimum vereistes van sektorpolisiëring voldoen nie.
Dr. Groenewald sê dit is wel verblydend dat die minister onderneem om die ‘kapasiteit’ by landelike polisiekantore te verhoog en dat verskeie stappe geneem word om veiligheid in dié gebiede te verhoog.
Dit sluit in dat plekke met ‘n hoë voorkoms van aanvalle (sg. hotspots) geïdentifiseer word, voorvalle word geanaliseer om tendense en modus operandi te bepaal, verskerpte patrollies in sulke gebiede, besoeke aan plase, en nog ander stappe.
Hy sê boere kla lank reeds dat die polisie nie meer plase besoek nie en dit is ook geopper by ‘n bespreking oor plaasveiligheid by Aardklop.
In antwoord op dr. Groenewald se eerste vraag oor stappe wat geneem gaan word gesien in die lig van die vlaag aanvalle in Augustus vanjaar waar ses mense in 23 aanvalle vermoor is, is die antwoord dat die aantal nie bevestig kan word nie en dat die voorvalle tans in ‘n proses van ‘verifiëring’ is.
Dr. Groenewald sê dit is ook onaanvaarbaar dat die polisie steeds nie kan bevestig hoeveel plaasaanvalle en -moorde daar in Augustus vanjaar was nie en dat dit alleen reeds ‘n groot aanduiding is dat die polisie en die regering nie werklik erns het met plaasaanvalle nie.
Dit dui ook daarop dat die polisie moontlik nie meer die kapasiteit het om misdaadinligting vinnig te ontleed en voorkomende maatreëls te tref nie.
“Ek sal met ‘n opvolgvraag aan die minister vra presies wat hy bedoel met ‘verhoogde kapasiteit’ by landelike polisiekantore sodat dit gemoniteer kan word om vas te stel of dié onderneming daadwerklik uitgevoer gaan word.
“Verder klink dit bloot na ‘n voortsetting van bestaande maatreëls wat sonder twyfel nie voldoende is nie,” sê dr. Groenewald.
Kontaknommers: 083 627 4397 / 065 801 7216
MINISTRY OF POLICE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
Private Bag X463 PRETORIA 0001, Telephone (012) 393 2800, Fax (012) 393 2819/20, Private Bag X9080 CAPE TOWN 8000,
Tel (021) 467 7021, Fax (021) 467 7033
36/1/4/1/201700301
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 2606
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 1 SEPTEMBER 2017
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 31-2017)
2606. Dr P J Groenewald (VF Plus) ask the Minister of Police:
(1) In light of the wave of farm murders in August 2017 during which six people were killed in 23 farm attacks, (a) what steps he is taking to improve and intensify safety in rural areas and (b) whether priority are given to farm murders as undertaken by the previous acting National Commissioner of Police, Lt-Genl Khomotso Phahlane; if not, why not;
(2) whether, in light of the fact that food security is a priority of Government and is being threatened by farm attacks and murders, is he prepared to establish spesialist units for farm attacks and murders; if not, why not;
(3) whether he will make a statement about the matter? NW2911A
REPLY:
(1) The number of incidents on farms and small holdings for August 2017, cannot be confrimed, as it is currently undergoing a verification process according to the definition for incidents of farms and small holdings.
(1)(a) To increase capacity at rural police stations in order to ensure equitable policing services to the rural communities. The following policing actions are taken to address safety in rural areas:
hot spots were identified where incidents occur;
analysis of incidents in order to determine the trends and modus operandi;
operations to prevent crime conducted in hot spots;
increase patrols in hot spots
visit farm owners;
simulation exercises to test the reaction capacity to incident specifically on farms;
Priority Committee meetings for Rural Safety on all levels are conducted;
awareness campaigns;
capacity building sessions with Rural Safety Coordinators on all levels; and
compliance inspections at rural police stations.
(1)(b) Priority continues to be provided to murders that occur on farms. Murders on farms are addressed within the Rural Safety Strategy, which is still in place and is implemented at rural and rural/urban police stations. The status of the implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy is an indicator in Programme 2: Visible Policing, in the Annual Performance Plan (APP) of the South African Police Service, for the current financial year (2017/2018).
(2) Rural Safety, which includes food security, is a priority to the South African Police Service. There is no plan in place to establish specialised units, which will only address incidents and murders on farms. The plan is to increase the capacity of rural police stations, to ensure that they can provide equitable police services to all citizens, within rural communities and this includes people staying and working on farms.
(3) A statement concerning the capacity building at rural police stations, will be made when the planning is completed and a plan with an allocated budget is in place.
;
