Gang violence and guns spilling over into Cape farm murders

The Western Cape province has seen a spike in farm attacks and farm murders this year, but this could be because of more firearms circulating among gangs in the province, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) said.

Minority rights group organisation AfriForum released their latest figures on farm attacks and farm murders from January to May this year, revealing that at least 184 attacks have taken place.

While Gauteng remains the leading province, contributing to 51 farm attacks during that period, the Western Cape doubled as compared to the same period last year, reporting 17 attacks with three murders, AfriForum head of community safety Ian Cameron said.

Western Cape police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Andre Traut said although the occurrence of house robberies perpetrated on farms in the Western Cape was not disputed, a national moratorium on the issuing of crime statistics meant comparative figures could not be released.

“The safety of the rural community is a priority of the Western Cape police and our rural safety plan is in operation to address and prevent incidents of crime on farms. This plan addresses various aspects of safety as well as crime combating initiatives and frequent liaison with farmers,” Traut said.

“Areas where we are not used to seeing farm attacks have increased drastically, like the Western Cape,” said Cameron.

“Previously, we didn’t see much cruelty during these attacks, unlike in the last 12 months. This year, we saw an elderly lady being raped on a farm. Even though the Western Cape is not the highest province, it is concerning as it is on the increase.”

Of the 184 attacks, 115 of them included the use of firearms. But this could be attributed to the increase in firearms in the Western Cape gangs since a police officer was convicted for selling guns to ganglords in the province, ISS head of justice and violence prevention Gareth Newham said.

Western Cape top cop Colonel Chris Prinsloo pleaded guilty in 2016 to selling about R9 million worth of illegal weapons and ammunition to Cape Flats gang leaders and right-wing extremists in Gauteng. Although more than half of the firearms were recovered, there could still be a large amount circulating to the Western Cape.

“The increase in criminal networks having access to firearms in the Western Cape could be the reason in the farm attacks in the province,” said Newham.

While AfriForum debunks the notion that farm attacks were not related to greed and money, Newham disagrees.

“Over 90% of farm attacks are robberies committed by the same people who commit house robberies in urban areas. They go to farms because they are vulnerable and far away from police stations.”

– rorisangk@citizen.co.za

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