TLU SA has learned with concern about the controversial incident at Verkeerdevlei in the Free State, where two female farmers and a man were arrested and violently handled after they attempted to apprehend alleged cattle thieves.
“While we cannot comment on the specifics of the case, it is worrisome for TLU SA that the police do not act consistently. They either fail to show up at all or employ excessive, unnecessary force,” says Bertus van der Westhuizen, the chairman of TLU SA in the Free State. “Furthermore, the police and government must seriously acknowledge South Africans’ frustration with crime in the country and understand why people sometimes take matters into their own hands.”
In the agricultural sector, livestock theft is a poorly addressed crisis. Farmers act out of desperation and hopelessness because the police do not effectively combat and fight crime due to a lack of resources, insufficient training, and overload, to name just a few of the significant causes. Although TLU SA focuses on agriculture, this incident clearly represents what people across the country experience regarding crime.
“Where does that leave law-abiding citizens when the state fails to fulfil its responsibility?” asks Van der Westhuizen.
TLU SA wants to appeal to all farmers to ensure that they never act alone in any incident, but within established safety structures and the law.
“We urge all farmers to engage with safety structures and thus protect themselves actively,” says Van der Westhuizen.
