Photo: FW Archive
The theft of green maize cobs in the Free State has escalated to such an extent that food security in the province is under threat.
This was according to Dr Jane Buys, Free State Agriculture (FSA) safety risk analyst, who said some maize producers were paying as much as R100 000/month for security to prevent this theft.
“These additional security costs, coupled with increased input costs, could definitely jeopardise food security.
“It is a seasonal crime that occurs [every year], and has a major negative impact on sustainable farming and food production,” she said in a statement.
Willem de Chavonnes Vrucht, Agri North West president, told Farmer’s Weekly that grain producers in the province were faced with similar challenges.
He ascribed this to, among other issues, criminal elements who exploited people who were faced with serious socio-economic pressures.
“Desperate people are not only employed to steal maize for a meagre [reward] by the often highly organised syndicates, they are also assured of a good meal every day. They are to a large extent exploited by these criminal elements,” he said.
Naude Pienaar, Agri North West assistant general manager, concurred, saying that the theft of green maize was more often than not carried out by well-organised groups.
The thefts mainly occurred at night when bakkie-loads of maize cobs were stolen and carted away to be distributed on the informal market. The situation in the province had escalated to such an extent that in in some areas, such as the Buhrmansdrif district, producers had stopped planting maize.
According to Jakkals le Roux, FSA safety and security committee chairperson, reports had been received of up to 20 people armed with pangas and knives descending on maize lands, stripping them bare.
In the Free State, maize theft was not just a crime carried out by people who were illegally taking some maize from farmers’ lands for the pot, he said.
“It is a fine-tuned businesses concern as far as resources, finances, outlets and markets are concerned.”
While the large-scale theft of green maize was occurring all over both provinces, several cases had recently been reported in eight districts in the Free State, including Welkom, Bothaville, Koppies and Bultfontein.
In North West cases had recently been reported near Coligny, Potchefstroom, Schweizer Reneke and Wolmaranstad.
