Violent crime consistently high on farms

DESPITE a 2 percent drop in stock theft in KwaZulu-Natal, Kwanalu’s head of security, Koos Marais, has called for visible policing in rural areas as violent crime and theft remains consistently high on farms.

He also called on Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, who yesterday announced the February 2012 to March 2013 crime statistics, to release the information more regularly.

Marais, a former policeman, added that the statistics were not consistent with those gathered by the agriculture union.

“Our information is gathered through media reports and farmers and farm labourers who report incidents to us. We also meet regularly with the police – with whom we have an excellent relationship – and compare our figures. Those crime stats are not what we are seeing on the ground.”

Marais said the quality of investigations was exceptional because 90 percent of the cases reported resulted in an arrest.

But, he said, farm murder – of which there were five this year and 37 farm attacks – was alarmingly high, while theft of produce and telephone lines was “killing” the industry.

“The minister says copper wire theft is down. That is nonsense. The fact is that the police in many incidents won’t open a case. Also, if a crime is committed and the person who did it is under age they also won’t open a case. That warps the crime stats.”

Marais said that since 2001 KwaDakuza (formerly Stanger) had had the highest number of farm murders and attacks, followed by Camperdown and Howick.