According to the Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, Solly Lesia, employing illegal immigrants intentionally or unintentionally provides those with intentions to commit crime, the opportunity to do so. 

Free State MEC for Police, Roads and Transport, Sam Mashinini, echoed Lesia’s sentiments, pleading with farmers to register their employees with the Department of Labour and to move away from cheap labour. The police did not provide any statistics in the media briefing to support the assertion that the farming community around the border was indeed hiring illegal immigrants from neighbouring Lesotho.

The DA in the Northern Cape anticipates the long-awaited oversight inspection of the drought-stricken province by Deputy President, David Mabuza, on Friday. 

Reinette Liebenberg, DA provincial spokesperson of Agriculture, Land Reform, Rural Development and Nature Conservation, says Mabuza’s oversight inspection comes at a time when local farmers are devastated by the five-year-long drought which has crippled their farming enterprises. It has also weakened the rural economy with some farmers who had no choice but to exit the market. 

Mabuza and the Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Thoko Didiza, are expected to meet roleplayers in the industry at Aggeneys near Springbok. The provincial spokesperson of the department, Zandisile Luphahla, says the premier, Zamani Saul, will also join the delegation. He says Saul is yet to make an announcement to declare the whole province as a drought disaster area. Liebenberg says about 62 000 jobs throughout the provincial and the South African economy, with direct and indirect links to the provincial agricultural sector, stand to be affected if no additional help is forthcoming for farmers in the Northern Cape.

OFM News/Christal-Lize Muller and Olebogeng Motse