Voorsitter, die VF Plus vra al sedert 2007, nadat die bekendmaking van amptelike statistiek oor aanvalle en moorde op plase gestop is, dat dit heringestel word. Daarom verwelkom ons die onlangse bekendmaking van syfers hieroor deur die Polisiekommissaris. Dis 'n noodsaaklike stap in die regte rigting.
Die stilte hieroor het aanleiding gegee daartoe dat groot verwarring die afgelope jare ontstaan het oor presies hoe ernstig die probleem is. Die VF Plus glo dis in belang van landbou dat dit weer jaarliks bekend gemaak moet word, saam met ander misdaadstatistiek, sodat onnodige aannames so uit die weg geruim kan word.
Dis ook nodig dat 'n duidelike definisie gevorm word oor presies wat 'n plaas aanval en 'n plaasmoord is, sodat al die betrokkenes wat misdaad rapporteer die regte statistiek deurgee en 'n korrekte prentjie kan skep.
Die VF Plus neem met kommer kennis van die groot aantal annvalle, soos deur die kommissaris gemeld, maar is terselfdetyd dankbaar dat, as die syfers korrek is, daar wel minder moorde plaasvind.
Volgens die syfers in ons besit is daar 1 651 mense op plase vermoor vanaf 1990 tot 2013. In Suid-Afrika is dit 132 uit elke 100 000 van die plaasbevolking, teenoor die Polisie se syfers van 54 uit 100 000, en die gewone bevolking van 31. Die internasionale syfer is 7 mense per 100 000.
Dit is duidelik dat ons 'n daadwerklike probleem in Suid-Afrika het wat plaasmoorde betref, en die VF Plus verwelkom enige stap om daaraan aandag te gee, en is deurlopend met die Minister in gesprek daaroor. Dankie. (Translation of Afrikaans member's statement follows.)
[Dr P W A MULDER (FF Plus): Chairperson, the FF Plus has been asking since 2007, after the publication of official statistics concerning attacks and murders on farms, that this be reinstituted. That is why we welcome the recent publication of figures in this respect by the Commissioner of Police. It is an essential step in the right direction.
The silence concerning this has given rise to the fact that great confusion has arisen in recent years about exactly how serious the problem is. The FF Plus believes it is in the interests of agriculture that these be publicised annually again, together with other crime statistics, so that unnecessary assumptions can be eliminated in this way.
It is also necessary to form a clear definition of exactly what constitutes a farm attack and a farm murder, so that all those concerned who report a crime provide the correct statistics and create an accurate picture.
The FF Plus notes with concern the large number of attacks, as mentioned by the Commissioner, while it is also grateful that, if the figures are accurate, there are indeed fewer murders taking place.
According to the figures in our possession, 1 651 people were murdered on farms between 1990 and 2013. In South Africa, this represents 132 out of every 100 000 from the farming community, as against the Police figures of 54 out of 100 000, and those of the ordinary population of 31. The international figure is 7 people per 100 000.
It is clear that we have a real problem in South Africa as regards farm murders, and the FF Plus welcomes any step that pays attention to this, while remaining in constant discussion about this with the Minister. Thank you.]