Crime costs Free State agri producers up to R1.4bn annually

Crime costs agricultural
producers in the Free State
between R564 million and
R1.4 billion annually. And
many of these losses are not
recoverable as farmers are
uninsured.
This according to a survey
released last week by the
Free State Agricultural
(FSA) safety desk, based
on responses from 76
commercial farmers in
the Virginia district in
the northern part of the
province.
The report extended the
statistics to another 81 Free
State agricultural towns,
which brought them to the
conservative estimate. “Some
25-50% of crimes are not
reported, which skews the
statistics,” said FSA risk
analyst, Dr Jane Buys.
She told FTW that the cost
of participating in white/
blue light brigades – which
includes a farmer’s costs in
terms of wear and tear on
vehicles used, diesel used, as
well as equipment needed
– was also included in the
amount, as was the cost of
safety infrastructure or loss/
damage to infrastructure
and/or property.
She further explained
that when a farmer’s solar
panels were stolen, it could
cost up to a week’s labour
and production to replace
the items.“When fences and
iron rods are stolen, it is a
farmer’s responsibility to
replace the stolen items as
animals can move into road
reserves that pose a great
risk for motorists in terms
of serious accidents or loss
of life.”
Buys said that only
a quarter (24.35%)
of producers had
insurance, 51.35% did
not have insurance,
while the remainder was
“undetermined”. “With
the severe drought in the
region, and the high cost
of insurance for livestock,
many farmers cannot afford
to insure their livestock.
Some farmers also do not
qualify for insurance any
more, as they have had to
claim for theft many times
and are regarded as a high
risk,” she commented.
The theft of scrap metal
– including iron rods, solar
panels and corrugated iron
– is reportedly the biggest
scourge, followed by copper
cable theft, theft of maize
and diesel.
According to Buys,
successful arrests and
prosecutions are as low as
5% due to lack of evidence
and often frightened
eyewitnesses.