Speech by the Free State MEC for Police, Roads and Transport Butana Komphela at the launch of the rural safety strategy, Bethlehem Showgrounds

Programme Director
The National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Bheki Cele
Members of the Management
The High Commissioner of South Africa to Lesotho Mr Happy Mahlangu
Our Provincial Commissioner in the Free State Lt General Sengani
Other provincial commissioners from other provinces who have embraced our beautiful province
The Chairperson of Law and Order Committee in the Free State Agricultural Union, Mr Kobus Breytenbach.
Members of the farming community and the community at large
Ladies and gentlemen

This launch of the Rural Safety Strategy is a cherry on top after a long week of interaction with the family of Police in the Free State, what a successful inspiring interaction with everybody in South African Police Service (SAPS), Free State, you are wonderful.

Programme director for a year we have been challenged by concerns from the farming community on their safety. Maybe this will serve as awareness to our farming people and communities on the seriousness of this government to deal ruthlessly and fearlessly with crime affecting farmers in the country.

In more ways than one, this launch must also serve as part of the contribution to the nation building effort and our continuing crusade to fight crime in this country of ours.

I believe this is the first and foremost launch acting against crime, in particular the killing and violence against members of the farming community.

This government deplores the cold blooded killings that have been experienced within these farming communities.

The recent and heart breaking incident which took place in this same area in Lindley District whereby the Potgieter family, including their three year old daughter, were brutally murdered.

Programme director we must by all means, shy away from the idea that current police stations are regarded as isolated, these are the stations which are responsible to Police vast rural areas, so they are a factor to crime prevention.

The launch of this strategy must reach out to these communities which are still not willing to participate or be in partnership with the Police on a common goal of eradicating this scourge of crime.

Programme director

The existing partnership between the SAPS and its strategic partner, e.g. Agricultural Union and others, has produced some excellent results. Hence most of the perpetrators who were responsible for the farm attacks were detected and arrested on time and brought to book.

Nevertheless, the sign of a stable society is not how many criminals are put in jail or behind bars, but rather, the low level of criminal incidents taking place.

Programme director

The farming community must focus on producing food for the livelihood of this Nation, and it is the responsibility of security forces to protect them.

As government, it is our responsibility to protect all our citizens in the country, and that includes the farming community as well, but believe me, this is not something the police can do on their own. They need your support and participation as farmers.

We are still strongly convinced that the strongest shield for each farmer or his community as a whole and those people residing on farms, are farmers and workers.

Those owning the land and tenants alike. Their response in the event of the attacks, will basically depend on the conditions under which they live.

When he was addressing a summit on rural safety held in Midrand in 1998, the former President of this country, Dr Nelson Mandela said “We were ready to die for certain ideals, and we are even more determined to live for their realisation, for all”

The freedom we are enjoying today in this country is not for a certain group of people because of their political affiliation, nor of their skin or gender, but it’s for everyone. And crime must not deny anyone to enjoy this freedom that we all fought so hard to achieve.

Programme director

It is therefore my plea, that the solution to the problem of farm attacks must in the end emerge from all of us and we believe that we can find a solution, despite our political differences. Crime must be the one thing that unites us. We must agree that we need to fight crime vigorously.

When we talk about crime, we must all agree and sing together against our enemy. Through the launching of this strategy, we are not only responding to safety and security needs of the rural community in our country, but we will also encourage our Stakeholders in these areas to work together in a coordinated manner and engage each other in joint planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation to combat crime within rural areas.

History has proven that in South Africa, we do not shy away from challenges easily, no matter how formidable they could be. This is yet another task we need to tackle with Pride and Determination. Together, we can eradicate all the ills brought by devils and those who kill.

In conclusion, I support the National Rural Safety Strategy and soon we shall align it with our own and begin to implement in earnest.

Thank you all of you.

Source: Free State Department of Police, Roads and Transport