DA Member of Parliament, Annette Lovemore, who is the shadow deputy minister of Water and Environmental
Affairs and the party’s representative for the Grahamstown area, has promised to “make a difference” after attending a meeting with residents and local farm owners last week.
DA Member of Parliament, Annette Lovemore, who is the shadow deputy minister of Water and Environmental
Affairs and the party’s representative for the Grahamstown area, has promised to “make a difference” after attending a meeting with residents and local farm owners last week.
Lovemore visited Grahamstown as part of her constituency work which requires members of Parliament and the Provincial Legislature to visit the areas they represent during the Parliamentary recess period.
Lovemore met with members of the South African Police Force, local farmers and some members of the community at the Highlander Club last week.
The discussion started with residents saying that the police take a long time to respond to calls out of town. “On Monday morning a farmer was attacked in his farm and it took the SAPF two hours to get to the farm as they got lost on their way to the farm,” one police officer said.
Grahamstown Police representative, Lieutenant Colonel George Green apologised and said it might be because “the police have ayoba [the World Cup]on their brains.”
This was met with laughter, while Lovemore herself was intently listening to everyone’s queries throughout the meeting.
She urged the police to install GPS systems in their vehicles to prevent such situations from recurring. The SAPF says stock theft has increased in surrounding rural areas and residents also blame this on slow service from the police.
The SAPF in turn said they have a major shortage of vehicles. They were promised more vehicles by the government but these haven’t arrived yet.
The police further reported that 20 cattle were stolen recently in one incident and they have arrested a number of suspects connected to the case.
Commercial and subsistence farmers are urged to brand their cattle as failure to do so is illegal. It is often almost impossible for the police to identify livestock if it is unbranded.
On Monday morning a farmer was attacked at his farm and it took the SAPF two hours to get there as they kept getting lost on the way.
Lovemore then asked whether the SAPS are frustrated with the justice system. According to Captain George Green the police are often despondent as the same offenders keep getting released on bail.
The reason for this is that DNA results take almost five years to be processed as there is only one laboratory where this is done in South Africa, which is in Pretoria.
Furthermore, the magistrate is not willing to keep a person in jail for that long with no valid proof that the person is guilty.
Lovemore concluded the meeting with a promise that the DA will follow up on all the problems mentioned and try and find some solutions.
