The warning issued by the SAPS cautioning motorists not to stop along the N1 Highway in De Doorns to buy grapes has sparked mixed reactions from industry role players and farm activists.
In the notice, the police said they saw an increase in robbery cases being reported along this road, and police patrol vehicles have been deployed along this route to curb robberies. It is also believed that the grapes have been stolen from nearby farms.
Farm activist Alvina Abrahams said warnings such as these are worrying and problematic, as many innocent people believed to be thieves and robbers have been killed by farmers.
She said the police must prove that everyone selling fruit along the road in De Doorns has stolen fruit and that they are criminals.
“Here in Paarl there’s a high court case about a boy who was standing next to a guy who was selling fruit, and two farmers came and started shooting them. Unfortunately, the one who wasn’t part and parcel of that stealing as they alleged got shot dead, and it was never proven that the boy stole any fruit; he was selling newspapers,” Abrahams explained.
Abrahams said there are a lot of people who are buying the last grapes or leftovers from the farmer after harvesting, and the farmer has sent the grapes to the market. She said the farmer will normally repackage the grapes and sell them to these street vendors.
“Before anyone can point fingers, they must go and prove who the perpetrators are, from those selling allegedly stolen fruit on the road. It’s a hard time that we are living in, and everybody is looking for something to put on the table for their families. The law can’t be there only for the poorest of the poor,” she said.
Jannie Strydom, Agri Western Cape CEO, said although the informal sector plays an important role when it comes to the selling of fruit and vegetables, and they do not want to discourage consumers from supporting farm stalls, consumers should not support unauthorised sellers alongside national roads as it is illegal and it poses a security risk for motorists.
“The public should also use their discretion in ascertaining whether a seller is legitimate or not, such as checking the time of sale or packaging. Consumers can ask for permits as vendors need this to operate legitimately,” said Strydom.
He said fruit theft is a massive problem, and according to their information, farmers lose between R40 000 to R600 000 as a result of theft during the harvest season, and that consumers should do their best to support farmers and vendors legally.
The case that Abrahams was referring to is that of Chatwell Rogers, 40, who was shot and killed allegedly for stealing fruit on November 30, 2021. Two men, Jan (JT) Basson and John Woest, were charged with his murder.
In another incident that is still pending in court, Daniel Smith, 56, stands accused of murdering a 13-year-old boy in Klawer. He was arrested in February last year after human remains were found in sewerage pipes at his home.
The remains were confirmed to be those of Jerobiojin van Wyk. He was also accused of stealing fruit.