AfriForum and the Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa (TAU SA) have noted a disturbing rise in farm attacks and farm murders for 2016, with the announcement of the official figures during a media conference in Centurion on Thursday.
This rising trend has now been observed for six consecutive years. The 2016 figure of 64 murders only reflects incidents up to 30 November 2016.
According to General Chris van Zyl, Assistant General Manager of TAU SA, December 2016 is already indicating a further increase with an estimated ratio of nearly one murder per day up to the present for the month, which makes the total farm murder figure for 2016 the highest for the past seven years.
“A further disturbing trend is the evident increase in the use of technology by farm attackers. We have CCTV proof of a device used by farm attackers that represses radio and cellphone communication as well as alarms. This equipment falls into the same league as military equipment that requires an end-user certificate,” said Van Zyl.
Lorraine Claasen, Crime Analyst at the AfriForum Research Institute (ANI), indicated during the conference that she was able to identify certain patterns in her analysis of various farm attacks and murders. Among these trends are that farm attackers strike in groups of up to 13 attackers per incident; the attacks are undoubtedly planned in detail; the farmer is specifically targeted during an attack, and is frequently the first person to be attacked or murdered. Various other trends observed by Claasen are discussed at length in the report.
Ernst Roets, AfriForum’s Deputy CEO, said during the media conference that he is especially concerned about the potential connection that he believes exists between outrageous political utterances and farm murders.
“Currently a climate prevails in the country where it has become popular to make racist and hate speech remarks against white people.
Even though we are extremely careful about making assumptions when it comes to farm murders and attacks, we view this possible trend in a very serious light.”
Roets also mentioned that it was gladdening to see that Lieutenant General Kgomotso Phahlane, the Acting Police Commissioner, is showing greater willingness with regard to taking farm murder and farm attack figures into consideration.
During the conference, Claasen also expressed her gratitude about the progress that was achieved this year with regard to police cooperation. She mentioned that there is a greater willingness to listen to complaints and problems, and that a platform had been established through which information about farm murders and attacks could be exchanged.
“This relationship is decisive for us,” she said.
Claasen mentioned further that the ANI is currently updating its data with the names of farm workers who were also the victims of farm murders. AfriForum is furthermore planning various campaigns and projects for 2017 to crack down on farm murders and farm attacks.
Click here for the official report.
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