Lobby group AfriForum, says there are aspects of farm attacks that make them unique compared to all crimes committed in the country.
In its report analysing crimes in farming communities between 2019 to 2022, it said that about 95% of farm attacks and murders remain unresolved in South Africa.
This despite crime statistics between April to June this year, showing that while more than 6 000 people were killed in South Africa, only 79 murders took place at a farm, plot, small holding or agricultural land.
AfriForum’s spokesperson for Community Safety Jacques Broodryk says they are also not happy that convictions have so far been made in only 66 cases.
“As far as the prosecution rates are concerned, there are certain factors that definitely clearly make farm attacks unique and that is why we looked into those, the prosecution rate as well. I think we bring up other crimes in South Africa, obviously we have a major crime problem that is not just restricted to farm attacks and we have a major policing problem. But there are unique factors such as we don’t see politicians singing songs glorifying any other forms of crime, we don’t see someone like President Cyril Ramaphosa denying in front of international media that other crimes are taking place, although he has done with the farm attacks. So, there are certain elements that do make farm attacks unique.”
Jacques Broodryk weighs in on the latest farm murder statistics
