Kwazulu-Natal's farmers feel under threat - from criminals, the government's plan to phase out the commando system by 2009, and new gun laws that will curb farmers' "firepower".

Spokespeople for the police and the army say farmers have nothing to worry about, and that a plan is in place to maintain law and order, even after the commando units are withdrawn.

At the annual congress of the Kwazulu-Natal Agricultural Union in Pietermaritzburg, some farmers said recently promulgated gun laws would strip them of their ability to defend themselves against attacks on their farms.

It was suggested that out of 12 500 recent firearm licence applications - for self-defence reasons - just 572 had been approved. This, along with the decision to do away with the commando units, was seen as a threat to rural security.
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