AfriForum to Ramaphosa on farm killings: “Keeping quiet, denying and doing nothing must end!”

12 October 2023

The government’s denial of, silence about and failure to address farm murders must end, says AfriForum in a memorandum presented to President Cyril Ramaphosa in Pretoria today. In this memorandum, the civil rights organisation clearly states the bitter facts regarding the reality of farm murders, points to the government’s foolish denial of the crisis and outlines AfriForum’s own solution for rural safety through community safety structures.

The presentation of the memorandum today follows in response to the government’s long-standing and ongoing failure to fulfil its duty in respect of the protection of South African citizens – and the farming community in particular – against heinous attacks and hate speech. The fact that the government simply sits idly by and watches as criminals wreak havoc among the rural community and some politicians deny or even encourage farm murders, is now forcing communities to organise themselves and play a greater role in their own safety. This is precisely what AfriForum is already doing with success through its national network of safety structures.

In addition to politicians’ blatant denial of farm murders, the government still refuses to declare it a priority crime, despite overwhelming evidence and arguments justifying such classification. Furthermore, prominent politicians and their supporters continue to incite violence against minorities, especially farmers.

From 29 July, when the EFF leader, Julius Malema, chanted “Kill the Boer” at the FNB Stadium in front of 90 000 supporters, until 11 October, there have already been 68 farm attacks in which ten murders were committed. In one attack, a couple from KwaZulu-Natal were seriously assaulted, while their attackers shouted: “Kill the Boer! Kill the farmer!”

In the memorandum, AfriForum also points the president to a recent AfriForum study which found that out of the 1 402 farm attacks and farm murder incidents recorded by the South African Police Service (SAPS) between 2019 and 2022, there have so far been only 66 convictions. AfriForum emphasises that the poor prosecution rate can be attributed to, among other things, poor investigative work and the government’s apparent unwillingness to tackle the problems in rural safety.

According to Jacques Broodryk, spokesperson for AfriForum’s Community Safety, AfriForum is currently in the process of significantly increasing the amount of resources allocated for neighbourhood and farm watch training and equipment, because the unwelcoming political environment that continues under Ramaphosa requires it.

“In a political environment that is characterised by denial, lack of action and even incitement to farm murders and attacks, AfriForum is set to equip communities to respond effectively and thus share in the responsibility for their safety. When a government does not fulfil its duty to protect its citizens, it makes the emergence of resilient, community-based safety structures inevitable and necessary,” concludes Broodryk.

Issued by Jacques Broodryk, Spokesperson: Community Safety, AfriForum, 12 October 2023