Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

AfriForum demands a national investigation into police involvement in stock theft

Soundbite: Jacques Broodryk (English)

Soundbite: Jacques Broodryk (Afrikaans)

The civil rights organisation AfriForum is demanding a formal national investigation into police involvement in stock theft. This request follows the arrest of a member of the Standerton stock theft unit, Constable Siyabonga Cindi, last week. Cindi, who appeared in court in Amersfoort on Tuesday (2 September), is facing charges of the theft of approximately R450 000 worth of cattle in the Standerton, Greylingstad and Perdekop areas.

AfriForum emphasises that a national investigation into the involvement of members of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in stock theft is essential, as Cindi’s case is not unique. In March this year, Mokete Jacob Mokoena, Station Commissioner of the Tweeling police station, was found guilty of stock theft, and in July 2021, five members of the SAPS were arrested in the Free State on charges of stock theft, perjury and defeating the ends of justice. In addition, Free State farmers submitted a report to the Hawks in 2019 with comprehensive information regarding an organised stock theft syndicate in the Free State. The report contained, among other things, names of suspects as well as evidence of police involvement in this network. The civil rights organisation emphasises that these ongoing cases of police involvement in livestock theft require an investigation.

According to Jacques Broodryk, Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety at AfriForum, the involvement of the so-called protectors of the agricultural community in stock theft is extremely worrying. “Despite years of information, evidence and convictions pointing to police involvement in stock theft, it appears that not much is being done to eradicate the problem. The police’s involvement in stock theft undermines the agricultural community’s efforts to combat this multi-million-rand crime. It also puts human lives at risk and threatens farmers’ financial survival,” he explains.

“Corrupt police officers – and especially corrupt officers in stock theft units – who are involved in stock theft trample on the good work of honest and dedicated members and further undermine the meagre trust the public still has in the police. We can no longer allow the very people and units that were put in place to protect farmers and their livestock to continue their crimes unabated. Criminality in the police must be rooted out, and a transparent investigation is therefore now essential,” concludes Broodryk.

Hennie Bekker, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for the Highveld, emphasises, meanwhile, that Cindi abused his position of power as a police officer to enrich himself and was in a position to cover up his crimes through his involvement in the stock theft unit. “However, it is positive to know that justice also catches up with those who have the resources and capabilities to try to evade justice. We will monitor Cindi’s case from now on to ensure that justice is done,” he says.

Since June this year, AfriForum has made a training programme available to the organisation’s 170 neighbourhood and farm guards to empower these civilian crime-fighting teams with specialist knowledge for combating stock theft. These and other courses – including a specialised tracking course – that AfriForum offers free of charge to the organisation’s neighbourhood and farm guard members, empower members with the necessary knowledge and skills to tackle the pressing crime problems that plague rural communities. This training has already borne fruit and AfriForum’s neighbourhood and farm guards have already been actively involved in several successful operations to combat stock theft.

Cindi’s bail application has been postponed until 29 September. He remains in custody in the meantime.

Bekker invites the public to participate in AfriForum’s efforts to oppose the bail of Cindi and other suspected stock thieves. Sign AfriForum’s petition here.