DA calls on NW SAPS to declare farm murders a hate crime

12 August 2020

Note to editors: Find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by DA Northwest spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, Jacqueline Theologo.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West commends the breakthrough by our counterparts in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Provincial Legislature, who, through months of pressure, succeeded in convening a joint portfolio committee meeting to discuss rural safety concerns yesterday.

We are pleased to learn that the provincial South African Police Service (SAPS) in KZN pledged their support to the declaration of farm murders as a hate crime and a priority in the province during this meeting and call on the North West SAPS to follow suit.

For more than six months, the DA in KZN called for a joint portfolio committee meeting with the province’s Departments of Agriculture and Community Safety in order to discuss the growing concerns around rural and farm safety. After a long postponement, the meeting with the relevant MECs and representatives from SAPS, the Association for Rural Advancement Land Rights Advocacy (AFRA) and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) finally took place.

We will write to the North West MEC for Community Safety and Transport, SelloLehari and MEC for Agriculture and Rural Development, DesboMohono to request a similar meeting, as we are of the view that SAPS’ support on this issue will help to turn the tide against farm and rural crimes.

A hate crime is one that typically involves violence and is motivated by prejudice on the basis of a defined characteristic. Most hate crimes include crimes committed on the basis of race, gender and religion. Many also include crimes committed on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and disability.

In the case of rural communities, the DA believes that farmers and farm workers are being targeted because of certain characteristics and motivations. These include their relative isolation and vulnerability and also the age of farmers and farm workers. In addition to this, there is clear evidence of politicians and popular figures inciting crimes against farming communities.

The DA will continue its fight for safer rural and farming communities by:

1. Calling for the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee on rural safety to advise the North West cabinet;

2. Advocating for the direct subsidisation of private rural safety initiatives such as farm watches and farm patrols;

3. The provision of psychosocial support for farm workers who are victims of crime, in particular women and;

4. Requesting a Provincial Safety summit on Rural and farm Safety involving key stakeholders.

What is now required is the deployment of resources and the political will to bring about change. This means that MECs Lehari and Mohono must now action the steps outlined by all stakeholders by shifting of strategies, policies and funding of their respective Departments.

Issued by Jacqueline Theologo, DA North West Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development, 12 August 2020