OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Wednesday 5.15pm.
THE South African Agricultural Union has launched a trust fund aimed at raising money for rural security.
The Agri Securitas Trust Fund was launched in Port Elizabeth on Wednesday with the stated aim of “generating funds to protect farming communities throughout South Africa and reverse the growing trend of rural crime”.
In a statement, the SAAU said the fund “is designed to provide direct benefit to 85000 commercial and small-scale farmers, their families and workers”. The statement added: “Indirectly, by assisting to manage the high incidence of farm-related attacks, the fund will serve the interests of the entire country.”
The fund – to be co-sponsored by DaimlerChrysler Group companies Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles and Nortel Dasa, a satellite network technology provider – will begin work with the installation of a satellite communication system covering the entire country.
Introducing the proposed system, Dr Karl Classen, vice-president of Nortel Dasa, said: “Mercedes-Benz South Africa and Nortel Dasa … are working in close partnership with the agricultural union to develop an emergency system that will bring relief to farmers, their families and workers.”
He added that the fund will make the rural community more aware of security concerns and of ways in which to combat rural crime – such as the use of latest technological advances.
A demonstration project consisting of 17 systems installed in farm communities throughout South Africa and including a control room at the SAAU headquarters in Pretoria is already running successfully.