WEST COAST – Western Cape agriculture minister Dr Ivan Meyer has called for increased police resources and stronger rural safety measures following two violent attacks on farmers and tourists in the province.
Meyer attended the first court appearance in Lambert’s Bay on Tuesday of suspects accused of attacking a farmer, Hugo Louw, who confronted alleged stock thieves along the R255 road.
Louw, who farms in the Lambert’s Bay area was airlifted in a critical condition to a Cape Town hospital on 5 March, after he was seriously assaulted by alleged sheep thieves.
Louw reportedly came across three men who were slaughtering a sheep in a field on the road between Lamberts and Elands Bay. When he confronted them he was violently attacked and left for dead next to the road.
A passer-by came to Louw’s rescue and notified the farm watch, who’s members immediately mounted a search for the attackers. Shortly after this two attackers with blood stained clothes were arrested and later a third man, found in possession of Louw’s cellphone.
Clive Boois (27) and Marlon Booysen (25) have been charged with attempted murder with extenuating circumstances and stock theft, and Anthony Storm (28) is charged with stock theft.
The minister asked the court to deny bail to the accused.
“My plea is that no bail should be granted. Together with the farmers of the West Coast, I am seeking justice for the victim. The perpetrators must face the full might of the law and be punished to the fullest extent,” he said.
The court appearance drew farmers and local residents demanding justice.
In a separate incident on Friday, two elderly tourists were forced to defend themselves against three masked attackers at a guest farm in the Swellendam area.
Meyer, who also serves as minister of economic development and tourism, said the attacks threaten both the agricultural and tourism sectors.
“Farm attacks must stop,” he said.
While the minister acknowledged the work of the South African Police Service and rural community safety structures, he said more needed to be done.
“The South African Police Service must be significantly better resourced and must work much more closely with local law-enforcement agencies to effectively combat rural crime. Strengthened investigative capacity, improved police visibility, and deeper collaboration with local law enforcement, neighbourhood watches, farm watches, and the Western Cape Department of Agriculture are essential to safeguarding rural communities and protecting the provincial economy,” Meyer said.
The minister encouraged rural residents to report incidents to the department’s rural safety helpdesk at ruralsafety@elsenburg.com.
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