Northern Farms - attempted murder

[Drenalinjunkie]

Forget the spade... They dont deserve to be buried!

[TiBones]

2 words for you - evi and dence

[Drenalinjunkie]

How can it be traced back to you if you shoot him with a full lead bullet? Lead is soft and expands so much you struggle to run ballistics on it unlike a FMJ where you have your rifling marks! Besides its not as if one is going out to look for a fight. However if my life is in danger I will fight back. No Q about that.

[BGS]

I find it appalling that NF have tried to palm this off as a bunch of poachers. Fact is, they tried to murder a cyclist - i don't give a rats whether they were poachers, bike jackers, or the gardeners. The fact remains that an attempt was made on the life of a cyclist.

 

I was there on Sunday at around 1pm and to think that it could have been me is very frightening indeed. Or even to think that it was happening whilst i was elsewhere on the farm. I will not be going back.

 

Yet in the same breath how is it even possible to hold the NFRUG responsible? It is impossible to police a farm of that size. It is impossible to guarantee safety and security in SA, let alone at the farm. I dont believe we can hold them to task for this. They are able to put in more security, but even with that there is no guarantee. The bikejackers know that NF is an easy bike grabbing place and they are now using it more and more, and with deadly force.

 

If they were poachers they would not have been bothered with taking a pot shot at a cyclist. They have nothing to lose, they dont care a rats about life. The risk has become too great to cycle there now. This just sucks balls. I took up cycling four months ago for the first time ever and now im hitting brick walls on where to go ride.

 

Thank you for posting this on the hub. Had the NF problems not been posted here, i would not have a clue and would be risking my hide unknowingly. Please keep these updates coming. Not only on NF though, but all places as i need to find somewhere else to ride

[Li Mu Bai]

Hi Simon.

Having been using the farm for years, and knowing all the hard work you have been putting into it, I understand your need to try and analyze it fully and respond.

However, suggesting that it could be poachers is difficult to believe. Looking back at the history of the area over the last year, where hijackings have made the riding out of the back of the farm dangerous, then hijacking on the farm itself resulting in 'no go areas', I dont believe poachers can explain away the occurrance posted here. Handguns, no dogs? Poachers of small game will most likely be using snares and the like. Weekend afternoons, when booze and a good smoke(etc) have these guys emboldened, and their previous easy pickings areas being reduced, its not hard to realize that they would venture further into the farm and take chances as they present themselves. These guys have nothing, need money, and do not fear consequences of their actions as there are no real consequences. Going to jail gets them room and board for a while.

If I happen along, with my family, riding the canal, I am a soft target, and anything can happen in addition to bikejacking. This is South Africa where tourists on honeymoon get raped and murdered, and crime is VIOLENT and primal.

Unfortunately I cannot see how you can keep these predators at bay, (the farm is vast and still has many isolated spots), especially now after they have a taste for bike jacking and the easy money it brings, and their normal jacking spots are now less frequented.

 

I do not own a gun. Carrying mace wont stop a bullet from a drugged/dronk jacker. And the consequences for someone shooting a jacker in self defence are serious, as he will get charged and have to defend himself in court or jail.

Its just not worth taking chances riding there anymore. Unfortunately I don't have another solution to suggest.

[Guest Big H]

"they" do not have anything..... They are hungry and want money. They will kill the little game there is and then continue taking whatever is easy to take.... Bicycles and kit do come to mind.

 

Organizations to aid the community is OK and needs to be praised....... But they cannot help all. NF will NEVER be able to secure the whole area..... Physically an impossible task.

 

I am afraid.... As much as I would like to see the area used by hikers, twitchers, equestrians and of course cyclists, a losing battle against the wave of violence is being fought.

 

I have to return to SA one day to live there permanently...... I just purchased a second property.... The dream one ... Small and easy to manage by two old people, two garages.... One for the car and the other as workshop for the bikes to enable us to cycle freely wherever we want whilevwe still can....... But .... I am more and more thinking it will just stay the dream. I am worried that my dream will stay just that.... That our country with the open spaces will become just like Nigeria...... It will have NO outdoors.

 

As I am writing this I have to keep myself in not to shout RETALIATE. It really worries me that one day my Grandchildren will ask me..... "Grandpa, why did you not do something while you had the chance?"

[GrumpyOldGuy]

"they" do not have anything..... They are hungry and want money. They will kill the little game there is and then continue taking whatever is easy to take.... Bicycles and kit do come to mind.

 

Organizations to aid the community is OK and needs to be praised....... But they cannot help all. NF will NEVER be able to secure the whole area..... Physically an impossible task.

 

I am afraid.... As much as I would like to see the area used by hikers, twitchers, equestrians and of course cyclists, a losing battle against the wave of violence is being fought.

 

I have to return to SA one day to live there permanently...... I just purchased a second property.... The dream one ... Small and easy to manage by two old people, two garages.... One for the car and the other as workshop for the bikes to enable us to cycle freely wherever we want whilevwe still can....... But .... I am more and more thinking it will just stay the dream. I am worried that my dream will stay just that.... That our country with the open spaces will become just like Nigeria...... It will have NO outdoors.

 

As I am writing this I have to keep myself in not to shout RETALIATE. It really worries me that one day my Grandchildren will ask me..... "Grandpa, why did you not do something while you had the chance?"

 

Nice post Big H. and Yeah, I agree, saying not supporting the farm will mean the "thugs have won" is really plain irresponsible, its not about winning, its about getting home safely to enjoy another day, sure it may be impossible to police the entire farm, but, the same as I wont be going into Gugulethu at 11pm in search of a party, I wont be tempting fate at NF either.

[Guest Big H]

Nice post Big H. and Yeah, I agree, saying not supporting the farm will mean the "thugs have won" is really plain irresponsible, its not about winning, its about getting home safely to enjoy another day, sure it may be impossible to police the entire farm, but, the same as I wont be going into Gugulethu at 11pm in search of a party, I wont be tempting fate at NF either.

 

Unfortunately in most "wars" if the "enemy" has more footsoldiers that you the "battle" is won beforehand!!!!!!

[Caerus]

Hi Simon.

Having been using the farm for years, and knowing all the hard work you have been putting into it, I understand your need to try and analyze it fully and respond.

However, suggesting that it could be poachers is difficult to believe. Looking back at the history of the area over the last year, where hijackings have made the riding out of the back of the farm dangerous, then hijacking on the farm itself resulting in 'no go areas', I dont believe poachers can explain away the occurrance posted here. Handguns, no dogs? Poachers of small game will most likely be using snares and the like. Weekend afternoons, when booze and a good smoke(etc) have these guys emboldened, and their previous easy pickings areas being reduced, its not hard to realize that they would venture further into the farm and take chances as they present themselves. These guys have nothing, need money, and do not fear consequences of their actions as there are no real consequences. Going to jail gets them room and board for a while.

If I happen along, with my family, riding the canal, I am a soft target, and anything can happen in addition to bikejacking. This is South Africa where tourists on honeymoon get raped and murdered, and crime is VIOLENT and primal.

Unfortunately I cannot see how you can keep these predators at bay, (the farm is vast and still has many isolated spots), especially now after they have a taste for bike jacking and the easy money it brings, and their normal jacking spots are now less frequented.

 

I do not own a gun. Carrying mace wont stop a bullet from a drugged/dronk jacker. And the consequences for someone shooting a jacker in self defence are serious, as he will get charged and have to defend himself in court or jail.

Its just not worth taking chances riding there anymore. Unfortunately I don't have another solution to suggest.

 

Thats cause the people commiting these acts are still violent & primal, just like the rest of South Africa & Africa is. Until they have proper education it will continue till the end of time

[Guest Big H]

Thats cause the people commiting these acts are still violent & primal, just like the rest of South Africa & Africa is. Until they have proper education it will continue till the end of time

 

Can you eat education??????? ..... as far as I know it does not fill a stomach. Where we worked in Mozambique and Angola people still died of hunger...... it may even happen in diepsloot as well. I will do ANYTHING to keep my family fed...... even rob a cyclist ...... that is an easy and soft target by the way!!!!!!!!

 

Maybe Marie Antoinette was not all that wrong when she said "feed them cake"!!!!!!!

Edited November 17, 2010 by Big H

[Caerus]

Can you eat education??????? ..... as far as I know it does not fill a stomach. Where we worked in Mozambique and Angola people still died of hunger...... it may even happen in diepsloot as well. I will do ANYTHING to keep my family fed...... even rob a cyclist ...... that is an easy and soft target by the way!!!!!!!!

 

 

Missed the point there a bit Big H - Starts from birth and a young age - Eduate people enough so that they can find other means to feed themselves, unfortunatly we have a couple(ok maybe 4 ) of generations that have missed the boat and nothing can be done about it/them.

 

There is this primal "traditional" African mentality that needs to be eradicated/disposed of. Education is way forward, change the mindset and set people free effectively, I know it might not change completely. But its where we have to start - "Western" education in all schools is the way forward.

[Guest big baby]

This is all really sad to read. Slowly but surely, each and every 'freedom' we all had is being taken away by rampant, unrelenting criminals. I left Gauteng some years ago, but by then it was unsafe to ride just about anywhere that I'd ridden for 5 years before. Even remote spots in Irene where we grew up riding mtb, have become very unsafe areas. The Cape is no exception, as we've seen here with numerous jackings at just about all TMNP sites. The area is just too big to contain. As with the Northern Farms case, I'm chilled reading this account, and without a doubt, I'd never ever cycle there. I think any venue near to townships or big cities and you are asking for trouble.

 

What can we do about it? I've pondered this question for many years, as I've watched the scale of my outdoor life deteriorate. Will my kids be able to ride those same trails I grew up riding? Certainly not. We lack 2 things to make this happen. We lack a credible justice system, and we lack a way to enforce it. Only when theres egg on faces does anything happen. Look at the recent Brit couple hijacking. Meanwhile, this past week there have been several jackings on Table Mountain, one included a stabbing. Why don't I see the military stepping in to patrol the hills? Do we even have an armed force anymore?

[GuyP]

Thats it, Im done with NF, rode there just two weekends ago, thought it was al sorted.

 

Not going there soon again, very unfortunate for the comunities who benefit from this but it is not going to be at the cost of a life.

 

 

Me too, none of us need this cr@p in our lives!

[Caerus]

This is all really sad to read. Slowly but surely, each and every 'freedom' we all had is being taken away by rampant, unrelenting criminals. I left Gauteng some years ago, but by then it was unsafe to ride just about anywhere that I'd ridden for 5 years before. Even remote spots in Irene where we grew up riding mtb, have become very unsafe areas. The Cape is no exception, as we've seen here with numerous jackings at just about all TMNP sites. The area is just too big to contain. As with the Northern Farms case, I'm chilled reading this account, and without a doubt, I'd never ever cycle there. I think any venue near to townships or big cities and you are asking for trouble.

 

What can we do about it? I've pondered this question for many years, as I've watched the scale of my outdoor life deteriorate. Will my kids be able to ride those same trails I grew up riding? Certainly not. We lack 2 things to make this happen. We lack a credible justice system, and we lack a way to enforce it. Only when theres egg on faces does anything happen. Look at the recent Brit couple hijacking. Meanwhile, this past week there have been several jackings on Table Mountain, one included a stabbing. Why don't I see the military stepping in to patrol the hills? Do we even have an armed force anymore?

 

 

Thats a very good point. Lets use our wasted Miltitary to actually do something - This is technically war - Its an enfringement of my civil rights and someone should be protecting these Also still dont know why we bought all those new fighter planes

[BGS]

The point for me is: where can i go ride that is safe?

 

Is that top road at NF safe? The road to the left as you come out from under the tunnel from the carpark, and down to the fork at the end. Its nice and flat and i would be willing to ride that up and down endlessly if it is safe, but is it?

[Li Mu Bai]

Also still dont know why we bought all those new fighter planes

 

to create maintainence jobs. much like our fantastic new submarines...