Attacks on South Africa's farming community can be minimised if all involved work together to address the problems facing the agricultural industry.
This became evident in Parliament when various stakeholders in farming, among them Agriculture South Africa (AgriSA) and the Food and Allied Workers Union (FAWU) addressed the Portfolio Committee on Police regarding the safety and security of farmers, farm workers and farm dwellers.
The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Sindi Chikunga, said the farming community could not afford to work in silence.
"Your relations don't suggest that you work together, or that you appreciate the fact that you need each other," she said.
Mr Vukile Mafilika of the Rural Development Network said farmers were for example not a part of the local drug action committees that the organisation had set up to look into substance abuse among members of the farming community.
A FAWU representative told the committee that although there were sectoral determinations governing certain aspects of farming, these were not accessible to some member of the farming community. He highlighted things like bargaining rights, access to education, shelter and sanitation.
Ms Chikunga urged all stakeholders, including farmers, farm workers, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and unions, to work together and plan together.
"Criminals must know that when they touch one of you, they touch all of you. When the stakeholders blame each other the winner is the criminal.
For example, it seemed that stock theft occurred in an organised way."
Ms Chikunga said that there were some stakeholders who had not been invited to the meeting, because "this was a first meeting and we didn't know how it would pan out. We now know there are other stakeholders we might need to invite when crime and the safety of the farming community are discussed," she said.
Issued by: Parliament of South Africa
21 April 2010
Source: Parliament of South Africa (http://www.parliament.gov.za/)
