Farm Safety Research Project

Guidelines for questions to be asked:

Objectives of the research project:

Assessing initiatives to reduce farm and smallholding attacks.



Making recommendations to inform policy on rural safety and in particular the rural protection plan.



Developing a better understanding of the nature of crime on farms and smallholdings.



Developing a profile of those who commit these violent attacks, as well as an understanding of their motives.

The rural protection plan:

Are all the role players involved? (SAPS; commandos; police reservists; organise agriculture etc.)?



Does the respondent know there is a rural protection plan? If yes, what does he think it entails?



Is the respondent part of the rural protection plan/SAPS reservist structures/ commando structures? If not, why not, and what procedure does the respondent think must be followed to become part of it?



Does the respondent feel safe with the rural protection plan in place?



Respondents’ suggestions to improve the rural protection plan.

Assessment of security forces:

How does the respondent evaluate the effectiveness of the: SAPS, police reservist structures, and commando structures in his area in fighting crime/preventing farm or smallholding attacks/reacting to farm or smallholding attacks?



For respondents who have been attacked/victimised: How did they alert the security forces and how do they evaluate their response?



Respondents’ comments on how the SAPS, police reservists, and commando structures could be more effective in fighting farm or smallholding attacks.



Respondents’ comments on whether the SAPS/commandos give out information and provide training on security measures.

Motive for attacks:

What do respondents think is contributing towards the attacks? What is the attackers’ primary motive?



Did the respondent (who had been attacked) know some or all of the attackers? If so, who were they?



What does the respondent think was the motive/purpose for the attack?



Does the respondent think that the attack was premeditated?



Respondents comments on why some attacks are accompanied by excessive brutality.

Respondents’ security measures:

What security measures have respondents undertaken?



What will the respondent actually do in the event of an attack? (Respondent to show in practical steps his potential actions.)



If respondents have been victimised what — if any — security measures did they adopt as a response?



To what extent aWhre respondents prepared to get involved in security measures (such as the rural protection plan)?

Employee issues:

What is the relationship between the respondent and his workers?



The effect of land claims/labour legislation/political statements on the relationship between respondents and their workers.



How are labour disputes on the respondent’s farm or smallholding resolved?

General:

How safe/unsafe do respondents’ feel?



Do they feel more/less safe than a year ago?



What makes respondents feel the most unsafe?



What interventions can be made to make them feel safer?



Do respondents know of people who have left their farm/smallholding because of the attacks?



Is there any form of intimidation against people on smallholdings/farms?



Impact of attacks/crime on respondents’ lifestyle?