Free State farm attack stats prove a high 12% rate of murder

22 March 2019

Murder remains on average very high during farm attacks in the Free State province. In reply to a question from the DA on farm attacks in the Free State Legislature, the MEC for Police, Roads and Transport indicated that 54 acts of violence took place against people on farms and smallholdings in 2017 and 32 to date since 2018. During these 86 attacks 14 murders took place which is a very high 12%. While many people may regard the numbers of farm attacks as not being excessive in relation to the general crime rates in the country, the murder rate during such attacks is far above average. Of the 230 694 crimes reported in the Free State during 2017 and 2018, 2004 resulted in murder, which is an average of 0,9% average. The type of violence that accompanies farm murders is also more excessive.

The MEC indicated that the SAPS define a farm attack as follows: “Acts of violence against persons on farms and smallholdings refer to acts aimed at persons residing on, working on or visiting farms and smallholdings, whether with the intent to murder, rape, rob or inflict bodily harm. In addition, all acts of violence against infrastructure and property in the rural community aimed at disrupting legal farming activities as a commercial concern, whether the motive/s are related to ideology, land disputes, land issues, revenge, grievances, racist concerns or intimidation, are included” “Acts of violence against persons on farms and smallholdings refer to acts aimed at persons residing on, working on or visiting farms and smallholdings, whether with the intent to murder, rape, rob or inflict bodily harm. In addition, all acts of violence against infrastructure and property in the rural community aimed at disrupting legal farming activities as a commercial concern, whether the motive/s are related to ideology, land disputes, land issues, revenge, grievances, racist concerns or intimidation, are included.”

While crime in our country remains unacceptably high, defining farm attacks is an important instrument to deal with these incidents as separate from other crimes. Trained personnel and vehicles remain a constraint for the SAPS to implement effective crime prevention strategies in rural areas, such as visible policing through regular patrols.

The statistics indicate that the SAPS are not able to prevent these violent attacks on farms. The phasing out of the commandos left rural communities vulnerable, which is why the DA believes in introducing specialised rural safety units in the SAPS to protect people in rural areas, especially people residing on farms and smallholdings.

Below are the questions and replies:

25. Hon. R Jankielsohn (DA) asks the Hon. MEC responsible for PR&T: Mr. S Mashinini.

25.1 How does the SAPS in the Free State province define a farm attack?

25.2 How many farm attacks took place in the (a) 2016/17, (b) 2017/18 and (c) the latest date for which information is available in the 2018/19 financial years respectively?

25.3 How many incidences of (a) murder, (b) rape and (c) assault with the intention to do grievous bodily harm were reported during the farm attacks in the respective financial years reported in question 2?

RESPONSE

25.1. The SAPS define act of violence against person/s on farms and smallholdings as follows:-

“Acts of violence against persons on farms and smallholdings refer to acts aimed at persons residing on, working on or visiting farms and smallholdings, whether with the intent to murder, rape, rob or inflict bodily harm. In addition, all acts of violence against infrastructure and property in the rural community aimed at disrupting legal farming activities as a commercial concern, whether the motive/s are related to ideology, land disputes, land issues, revenge, grievances, racist concerns or intimidation, are included”

“Cases related to domestic violence or liquor abuse, or resulting from commonplace social interaction between people are excluded from the definition.”

25.2. 58 acts of violence against person/s on farms and smallholdings happened

25.2 (b) How many Farm Attacks took place in the 2017/2018 Financial Year

54 acts of violence against person/s on farms and smallholdings happened

25.2 (c) How many Farm Attacks took place in the 2018 to the latest date

32 acts of violence against person/s on farms and smallholdings happened

25.3 (a) How many incidents of Murder cases were reported during the farm attacks in the respective financial years reported in question 2.

- 4 incidents of murder were reported during the 2016/2017 financial year.

- 7 incidents of murder were reported during the 2017/2018 financial year.

- 7 incidents of murder were reported during the 2018 to date.

25. 3 (b) How many incidents of Rape cases were reported during the farm attacks in the respective financial years reported in question 2.

- 1 incident of rape were reported during the 2016/2017 financial year.

- 2 incidents of rape were reported during the 2017/2018 financial year.

- 1 incident of rape were reported during the 2018 to date.

25.3 (c) How many incidents of Assault GBH cases were reported during the farm attacks in the respective financial years reported in question 2.

- 1 incident of Assault GBH were reported during the 2016/2017 financial year.

- 1 incidents of Assault GBH were reported during the 2017/2018 financial year.

- 1 incidents of Assault GBH were reported during the 2018 to date.

Issued by Roy Jankielsohn, DA MPL and Leader of the Opposition in the Free State Legislature. 22 March 2019