EWN Reporter / Twitter
EWN Reporter / Twitter
Police Chief Fikile Mbalula has promised to improve security for farmers in the next month or so, after more than 70 land owners were killed in 2017.
Mbalula met with the Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU) yesterday, and has vowed to bring in an increased police presence to protect the country’s farmers. As always, The Chief took to his Twitter account to keep us abreast of the situation:
I met met the leadership of Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU).
These engagements form part of ongoing meetings the Minister is having with different stakeholders addressing the issue of safety in farms and rural communities. pic.twitter.com/lYJC7Z1qEO
— RSA Minister of Police (@MbalulaFikile) November 29, 2017
Mbalula reassures farmers of increased protection
The Police Ministry issued a statement that outlined their stance on farm murders, and how they were planning to stop them:
“Police will do everything to curb farm killings. In fact, there must be better cooperation and coordination between farmers and police.
“Addressing farm murders is, and must be, a priority. Police need to create a conducive environment for farmers to produce and ensure food security for all our people. We reiterate the spirit of the Freedom Charter, that South Africa belongs to all who live in it.”
Did #BlackMonday protests work?
Fikile Mbalula went on to say that a roll-out of more police officers to affected local areas will happen before 2018. He also informed TAU that a National Imbizo would take place in December to ‘set in stone’ an approach to handling farm attacks.
The Chief’s statement will be welcomed by a farming community that are feeling increasingly under threat. Their frustrations boiled over last month, and lead to the #BlackMonday protests that brought city streets to a standstill.
The demonstrations aimed to raise awareness of the issue. The tens of thousands of South Africans that turned out on #BlackMonday definitely seem to have caught Mbalula’s eye.
