Newcastle farm attack: DA welcomes swift response by SAPS, local community

12 November 2021

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) welcomes the swift response by the local community and SAPS following yet another farm attack – this time in the Newcastle area.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those who were attacked yesterday and we wish them a speedy recovery.

While the DA remains extremely concerned by the increase in rural attacks in KZN, quick action has led to some of the attackers being arrested. We call on SAPS to ensure that their investigations lead to convictions, and that justice prevails.

The decline in rural safety, where our farmworkers and farmers are at risk, should be of great concern to all citizens in our province. That this is now the third farm attack in just three days in our province is horrific.

Meanwhile, government’s lack of pro-active measures to ensure the safety of rural communities, speaks to a complete denial of the current situation and the risks that these attacks hold for our province and country.

It is increasingly clear that the governing party does not care about all its people. This while South Africa is in desperate need of unity, co-operation and conciliation.

The DA again calls on KZN Premier, Sihle Zikalala, and his cabinet to lead this process and bring our rural communities together in order to improve the situation.

We also call on the Minister of Police to spend less time talking about crime, and more time ensuring that his police officers are on the ground and that they have the necessary training, equipment and manpower to deal with this rising crime wave.

KZN’s rural communities can no longer be abandoned by government. It is time to act.

Statement issued by Martin Meyer, MPL, DA KZN Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, 12 November 2021