Bikers join forces to support victims of farm attacks
At least 50 bikers recently embarked on a three-day journey, visiting 24 police stations around the province to call upon the police to do more to protect farmers and residents.
The bikers against farm murders also used the station-to-station ride to show appreciation for the good work done by the SAPS in preventing crime and the safekeeping of rural communities, which includes the farmers.
They sought to appeal to the community to support the police by being involved in the fight against crime through awareness campaigns, and to encourage community development. This odyssey started in Mbombela on Friday morning.
They visited stations in Hazyview, Graskop and Lydenburg. They then dropped in at 16 police stations in the Highveld, before returning to the Lowveld via Badplaas and visiting Komatipoort, Malalane and Matsulu before returning to Mbombela.
The coordinator of the ride, Past TJ Maré, said everything went well.
Their last stop was the headquarters of the Mpumalanga police in Mbombela on Sunday, where they met with the provincial commissioner, Lt Gen Mondli Zuma, and submitted a petition.
“Everyone is on board with our petition, and we hope to take it across every province in the country, and hand it in to the national commissioner. We want our farmers to feel safe and see that the country cares. There is a need for community policing and rural development. We applaud the SAPS for tapping into every resource to fight crime. We appreciate the SAPS and the farmers, and our cause was received well.”
Zuma was also given a Bible as a gift. It had been signed by all the bikers to show their appreciation for being welcomed at the various police stations.
“We have experienced a large exodus of farmers going to Europe and other African countries due to the unsafe conditions in the country. Both white and black farmers are targeted, and we cannot afford to look down upon the situation. Those who are not murdered are stolen from. A loss of farmers is a loss of food, and that will inflate the food price, and in turn, promote poverty, which will lead to increased crime,” said Zuma.
The Lieutenant General added that criminals move between provinces and across the country’s borders, and by spreading the cause nationally, it will help combat the effects.
“I see the bikers here have children present, and that this cause can be passed from generation to generation, just as farmers pass their passion on from generation to generation.”The challenge is enormous, as it affects everyone from large commercial farmers to small self-sustainable farmers,” he concluded.
“We would like to thank Turboformance and J&M Security for sponsoring drinks and water, Sasol Westend for its contribution towards fuel for the sweeper vehicle, and Two Way Systems for sponsoring the sweeper vehicle,” said Maré.
