CAPE TOWN - Farmworkers’ rights activists have reacted with dismay after two Paarl farmers who allegedly shot and killed a man suspected to have stolen from them, were granted bail.
Farmers JT Basaon and John Woeste appeared in the Paarl Magistrate’s Court on Monday over the murder of Chatwell Rogers, who was allegedly shot in the back while running away.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said they were granted bail of R5000 each.
Their case was postponed to January 26 for further investigation and a regional court decision.
Black Association of the Wine and Spirit Industry (Bawsi) president Nosey Pieterse said this was not the first time that farmworkers and people had died at the hands of farmers.
“But farmers are the first to run and pressure the government with their so-called farm killings. The question I always raise is how many people have died at the hands of those farmers?
“They get R5000 bail for the murder of a person who was not a threat because the deceased was shot in the back.
“If that were people of colour, they would not have seen the outside of the cell again until they had been sentenced,” he said.
For the accused, lawyer William Booth said Rogers had been with a group of people who had allegedly been stealing produce from all the farms in that area.
“Losses have been incurred, not only by my clients on their farms but everybody else in the area, because of thieving. It’s a huge problem in that area, and complaints have been laid but the police, we believe, have not done what they should have to contain it,” he said.
Agri Western Cape said it had already approached local authorities before the incident for a meeting this month. Agri Western Cape’s Rural Safety Policy Committee chairperson, Uys van der Westhuijzen, said the local authority had failed in its duty and failed the community, as it was approached numerous times to take action regarding the “tense situation around fruit theft and the illegal selling”.
“A meeting was held regarding this matter, but evidently it was not taken seriously. Several follow-up meetings did not materialise due to the unavailability of officials. Local authorities must take responsibility.”
Agri Western Cape CEO Jannie Strydom called for calm. “Our condolences go to the family of the deceased. Agri Western Cape urges the local municipality and relevant role-players to step in and prevent similar incidents. We ask for people to let justice take its course,” he said.
Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation executive director Billy Claasen said they found it “strange” the farmers were out on bail. “It seems some farmers were aware of the theft, the question is why they did not inform the police, only 5 to 10km away?”
Cape Times