Today, the DA Team One South Africa Spokesperson on Crime, John Steenhuisen, together with the Leader of the DA in the Free State Legislature, Dr Roy Jankielsohn met with victims of crime and community members in Reitz Park Matjhabeng as well as with a farming community in Henenman, Free State to engage on the prevalence of violence and crime in their rural communities.
Left: John Steenhuisen addressing victims of crime and community members outside the house in Reitz Park Matjhabeng where a young man was shot in the house two week ago; Right: John Steenhuisen addressing a farming community in Henenman on issues of rural safety and land expropriation without compensation.
Please find attached an English and Afrikaans soundbite by the DA Team One South Africa Spokesperson on Crime, John Steenhuisen.
Community members expressed their concerns on the lack of policing and security on farms, that their concerns have fallen on deaf ears and that they feel forgotten by the ANC government.
Farmers and farm workers live in constant fear every day as they have become targets of heinous acts of violence and crime.
“The DA has always maintained that the South African Police Services (SAPS) reintroduce specialised rural safety units to deal with instances of crime and violence in farming communities,” said Steenhuisen.
He said that, “the failing ANC government continues to drag its feet when it comes to the protection of vulnerable rural communities such as Henenman in the Free State. These communities have become paralysed by fear and has been left to bear the brunt of the ANC’s carelessness.”
“The ANC government spends R9.1 million to protect one VIP but can’t even dispatch lifesaving rural safety units to farming communities,” said Steenhuisen.
The DA is the only party with a plan to make rural communities safer.
“The DA wants to build One South Africa for all. We want to fix the police service and make them honest and professional to ensure that they combat all crimes effectively,” Steenhuisen said.
The DA will for the coming months embark on a rural safety tour where we will engage with farming communities across South Africa about the safety challenges and concerns that they face every day.