Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) has received AfriForum’s proposal for a bespoke basic tracking course with guarded optimism, lauding the initiative to fill an important rural security void. BACSA, in close association with public and private stakeholders aimed at preventing crime and promoting community safety, has noted the value in such a scheme – on the condition that it forms part of broader, police-led initiatives towards rural safety.

The tracking course, which AfriForum has established in partnership with a world-renowned tracking expert, aims to fill the gap of effective tracking skills in the rural areas. This is at a time when South Africa continues to grapple with rising rural crime, particularly vicious farm attacks, livestock raids, and illegal crossing of borders.

According to the South African Police Service’s (SAPS) 2022/2023 crime statistics, over 5,000 stock theft cases were reported nationally, with Limpopo, Free State, Eastern Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal being the hardest hit. The African Agricultural Union also reported a 10% year-on-year increase in farm-related crime, with farmers’ often citing response times and insufficient investigative capacity as major stumbling blocks. In addition, Agri SA has consistently alerted the public to the increasing levels of sophistication and organization of rural criminal syndicates that spill across South Africa’s porous boundaries.

AfriForum’s four-day training course, which combines theory and practical instruction on various types of terrain, teaches participants to identify, recognise, and follow human footprints over long distances. It also comprises tactical awareness training for potentially threatening encounters with armed criminals. Six of AfriForum’s top safety staff went through the course as part of its pilot project, and it will soon be offered to specially selected members of the organisation’s rural safety networks.

Roelof Viljoen, Business Development Officer of BACSA, greeted the initiative but called on it to be framed in accordance with national training standards and operating systems.

“BACSA welcomes the initiative by AfriForum,” said Viljoen.

“We hope the skill and its implementation will be taken into consideration in existing Rural Safety structures. It can then be implemented into operations, with Law Enforcement guidance. The course should be open to all participants and registered with SASSETA”.

SASSETA – the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority – regulates and accredits safety-related training in South Africa. Accreditation ensures that every rural safety officer, whether private or civil society, operates from the same professional and ethical base.

AfriForum’s Training Manager, Thomas van Dalen, also emphasised that tracking should not be done in isolation.

“Tracking needs to be complemented by command-and-control action that is taken from the operation’s tactical headquarters or joint operations centre. Technology application – i.e., drones and CCTV, well-rehearsed contingency planning, and proper communication will make a big contribution to enabling the work of the tracker. All security role-players need to be coordinated,” van Dalen said.

This multifaceted rural safety approach aligns with BACSA’s strategic philosophy: that public-private collaboration, intelligence sharing, and uniform training are key to preventing and responding to rural crime effectively.

AfriForum’s Head of Community Safety Spokesperson, Jacques Broodryk, was hopeful for the initiative’s long-term prospects.

“This course provides a practical and experiential solution to a real problem that communities face on a daily basis. By developing these skills in-house, we improve AfriForum’s ability to act quickly and effectively in the event of emergencies.”

AfriForum also made plans to develop an advanced tracking course and certified instructor program to further disseminate rural safety skills across South Africa.

As rural crime evolves, innovative and collaborative answers will be required to protect lives, assets, and food security. BACSA, while promoting community-based safety initiatives, demands that they are accredited, accessible, and fully coordinated with the SAPS and broader national safety strategies. If well-coordinated, schemes like AfriForum’s tracking course could be an integral part of South Africa’s efforts to combat rural crime.