In a bid to bolster rural communities and improve agricultural safety, the West Coast District Municipality (WCDM) hosted a key stakeholder-engagement event, bringing local farmers, government officials, agricultural stakeholders and community members together.
The meeting, held in Moorreesburg, focused on addressing pressing rural-afety challenges facing the district while exploring potential collaborative solutions. The engagement was officially opened by Alderman Boffie Strydom, Executive Mayor of the WCDM. In his opening remarks he reaffirmed the municipality’s ongoing commitment to forming strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing rural safety across the region.
Dr Ivan Meyer, MEC for Agriculture in the Western Cape, shared an insightful presentation on the province’s rural-safety initiatives. He also touched on the Growth for Jobs Strategy, underscoring how provincial priorities align with the needs of the agricultural sector in the West Coast area.
Anroux Marais, MEC for Police Oversight and Community Safety, gave a comprehensive overview of efforts to strengthen farm-watch capabilities through collaboration among the police, municipalities and farm watch organisations. To this end, he presented a drone to the WCDM’s Disaster Management Centre, to enhance its emergency response and surveillance systems.
“The drone donation represents a significant upgrade to our disaster management infrastructure,” said Wilhelm Markus, Director of the WCDM, in his closing remarks. “This advanced technology will allow us to respond more swiftly and have better situational awareness during emergencies.”
Further insights were shared by Jannie Strydom, CEO of Agri Western Cape, who highlighted the critical role of agriculture in the West Coast economy while also addressing challenges and opportunities within the sector.
Other contributions came from Jacobus van Litsenburg, who provided an update on community-safety initiatives, and Fire Chief Bertus Senekal, who elaborated on the district’s fire-service capabilities.
The event showcased the district’s collaborative approach to ensuring rural safety, reflecting a shared commitment to both safeguarding agricultural interests and enhancing the wellbeing of local communities across the West Coast.
