Around 23:05 on Saturday evening, 14 July 2018, the emergency network of the Drakenstein Farm watch came to full capacity when a call came in from a farmer’s wife reporting a farm attack on their farm in Paarl which was in progress and immediately requested assistance.
The farmer and his friend and their wives and children, were enjoying an evening braai on the stoep on a farm in Paarl. The farmer, who happens to be an active member of the Drakenstein Farm watch and is active in fire fighting, medical care and armed response and is very much aware of the dangers by living in the remote area and was therefore prepared.
Two black males appeared behind the wall and immediately the farmer sent his friend’s family into the house to secure the doors and he went to totally lock down the premises. His wife started making use of the emergency communication, which is recorded in the farm watch control room. At that stage, the situation was unknown and also the number of robbers/ attackers was not clear.
When the farmer and his friend went out the front door to see what was happening, they were immediately confronted and pointed at with a firearm by one of the two attackers. The attacker fired a shot, fortunately however the shot did not go off. Fearing for their lives and in immediate danger for being shot at again, one of the two returned fire.
The suspects ran off to the adjoining buildings and the farmer wisely waited for back up.
Minutes after the panic alarm, the first armed response teams arrived and within 15 minutes more than 15 response vehicles and crew were on the chase.
Due to the remote mountain area and the difficulty of the terrain, nobody was eventually found, but the message was clear. The huge presence of the many armed response vehicles and the search for the culprits, by the various dog units will send a clear message.
The Drakenstein farm watch radio network, which connects all response teams proved invaluable.
The HQ of the farm watch was receiving many calls straight after the call out, from groups wanting to come and assist, even from as far as Malmesbury.
We feel the farming community has had enough and the network is growing on professionalised.
A big thank you to:
Drakenstein Farm watch armed response teams
Vetus Schola armed response teams
ADT/fidelity armed response teams
PACTRS security (AC Rottweiler) armed response teams.
Read the original article on Drakenstein Farm Watch
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