ACDP calls on govt deal with farm murders ‘regardless of race’

The African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) has called on government to act on farm murders after the latest incident in the area of Normandien, KwaZulu-Natal.

A couple from KwaZulu-Natal, Glen and Vida Rafferty, were shot dead on their farm in Normandien, along with their dog.

ACDP President Reverend Kenneth Meshoe condemned the attack and called for the restoration of the Farmer Commando Units.

“The ACDP condemns the senseless killing of the couple as we believe that South Africa will edge closer to a food insecurity crisis if government continues to allow for our farmers to be killed,” Meshoe said.

Meshoe called on President Cyril Ramaphosa, along with the ministers of police, justice, and agriculture, to declare farm murders as priority crimes.

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“While implementing measures to provide optimum protection on farms in order to protect South African lives, and to ensure that justice is served.

“In addition, the ACDP has, for the longest time, called for the restoration of farmer commando units to increase the safety of those living and working on our farms,” he added.

The ACDP president further reiterated farmers and their workers’ lives needed to be protected regardless of their race.

“We believe that the restoration of farmer commando units can bring down the number of farm attacks, and could be a vital part of the solution to putting an end to farm attacks in South Africa.

“The protection of those that provide us with food is paramount. South Africa is not in a position where we can easily afford to import food stuffs at high costs, due to our weakened economy.

“If we are to curb farm murders and protect our people, President Ramaphosa must break his silence on the issue, lead, and act decisively against those who attack and kill our farmers, and threaten our food security,” he said.

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The Democratic Alliance (DA) has also been calling on government to declare farm murders as a hate crime.

On why farm murders should be declared hate crimes, DA MP Dianne Kohler-Barnard said it was not only the attacks, but also about those on social media and other platforms calling for more farmers to be killed.

Kohler-Barnard said the DA would again ask the South African Police Service (SAPS) to recategorise rural attacks as priority crimes.

“The DA will also ask for investigative capacity at rural SAPS stations to be increased, to ensure that attackers are apprehended.”

She further said farm attacks and farm murders should be treated as a separate crime category, which requires a particular solution.

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