Die burgerregteorganisasie AfriForum en die familieboernetwerk Saai sal enige teenstand beveg vanuit staatsgeledere teen buurt- en plaaswagte wat wettige bedrywighede hervat.
Dié organisasies moedig buurtwagte aan om patrollie te ry, ten spyte van voorvalle van teenkanting wat by die organisasies aangemeld is. AfriForum en Saai sal ook regshulp bied aan enigeen wat kwaadwillig vervolg word in die wettige uitvoer van buurt- of plaaswagbedrywighede.
AfriForum en Saai beoog ook om op 6 Junie 2020 ’n landwye versetpatrollie te hou ten spyte van – in sommige gevalle – heftige teenstand deur senior regeringsbeamptes teen buurtwagte wat patrollie ry. Buurt- en plaaswagte was ingevolge regulasies nie tydens vlak 4- en vlak 5-inperking operasioneel nie, maar regulasie 33 (1), wat dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister van Samewerkende Regering en Tradisionele Sake, op 28 Mei 2020 uitgevaardig het, stel dit duidelik dat mense hul woonplekke mag verlaat om spesifieke dienste te lewer, met uitsondering van aktiwiteite soos genoem in tabel 2 van dié regulasies. Buurt- en plaaswagte word nie in dié tabel genoem nie.
Volgens Ian Cameron, hoof van Gemeenskapsveiligheid by AfriForum, is daar in baie gevalle uitstekende samewerking tussen buurt- en plaaswagte en die SAPD. “Dit blyk egter nou dat sommige hooggeplaaste regeringsamptenare se hooffokus nié die bekamping van misdaad is nie, want dit is presies wat buurt- en plaaswagte doen. Dit is ons grondwetlike reg om onsself binne die raamwerk van die wet te beskerm en ons moedig daarom alle buurt- en plaaswagte aan om hul bedrywighede te hervat. AfriForum verwag dat daar tydens vlak 3-inperking ’n toename in misdaad gaan wees. Dit is daarom nou belangriker as ooit dat misdadigers besef dat ons gemeenskappe weerbaar is,” sê Cameron.
“Saai het oor die afgelope paar dae reeds ’n toename in plaasaanvalle opgemerk. Ons wil hê ons boere moet hulself kan beskerm, en een van die belangrikste maniere om dit te kan vermag, is deur plaaspatrollies. Veral op plase kan mense nie net op die polisie staatmaak vir beskerming nie. Die boerderygemeenskap speel ’n onskatbare belangrike rol om mense se veiligheid te help verseker. Ons kan nie toelaat dat die polisie gemeenskappe intimideer wanneer hulle bloot hulself en hul eiendom op ’n wettige wyse wil verdedig nie,” sê dr. Theo de Jager, direksievoorsitter van Saai.
AfriForum en Saai is bereid om enigeen – dus nie slegs lede van AfriForum- of Saai-strukture nie – te help wat onregmatig benadeel word in die uitvoer van wettige buurt- of plaaswagbedrywighede.
AfriForum and Saai plan protest patrol in reaction to resistance against neighbourhood and farm watch operations
The civil rights organisation AfriForum and the family farm network Saai will fight any resistance from the state against neighbourhood and farm watches who resume legal operations. These organisations encourage neighbourhood watches to continue patrols despite cases of resistances reported to the organisations. AfriForum and Saai will also offer legal support to anyone who is prosecuted maliciously in the legal execution of neighbourhood and farm watch operations.
AfriForum and Saai also plans a country-wide resistance patrol on 6 June 2020, despite – in some cases – fierce resistance from senior government officials against neighbourhood watch patrols. Neighbourhood and farm watches were not allowed to patrol during level 4 and 5 of the lockdown, but Regulation 33 (1), issued on 28 May 2020 by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, clearly states that people may leave their homes to provide specific services, excluding activities listed in Table 2 of these regulations. Neighbourhood and farm watches are not listed in this table.
According to Ian Cameron, Head of Community Safety at AfriForum, there are many cases of excellent cooperation between neighbourhood and farm watches and the SAPS. “However, the main focus of certain high-ranking government officials does not seem to be on curbing crime, because this is exactly what neighbourhood and farm watches do. It is our constitutional right to protect ourselves within the framework of the law, and we therefore encourage all neighbourhood and farm watches to resume patrols. It is now more important than ever before that criminals realise that our communities are protected,” says Cameron.
“Saai has already witnessed an increased in farm attacks over the past few days. We want our farmers to be able to protect themselves, and one of the most important ways to achieve this is through patrols. It is especially people on farms who cannot rely on the police for protection. The farming community plays an inestimably important role to help ensure people’s safety. We cannot allow the police to intimidate communities when these communities simply want to protect themselves and their properties in a legal manner,” says Dr Theo de Jager, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Saai.
AfriForum and Saai are willing to help anyone – and not just members of AfriForum and Saai – who is unjustly prejudiced in the execution of legal neighbourhood and farm watch operations.
