The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa and government to classify farm attacks and murders as priority and hate crimes.
In a statement, DA Spokesperson on State Security Dianne Kohler-Barnard accused the president of turning a blind eye to farm murders, causing bloodshed and violence in the court.
She says this week’s violent protests at the Magistrate’s Court in Senekal in the Free State show that farm murders and attacks have emotions at a boiling point.
Protestors stormed the court where two suspects appeared in connection with the murder of 21-year-old farm manager, Brandin Horner and overturned and set alight a police vehicle.
Kohler-Barnard says an open letter written to the President on the matter has received no response.
National Assembly held a debate on farm attacks and murders on 1 September:
The DA will now send the letter directly to the president and deliver a petition with more than 55 000 signatures against Ramaphosa’s handling of the crimes to Parliament.
In September, the National Assembly held a debate on the scourge of farm attacks and the murder of farmers and farmworkers.
The pressure is mounting on government to intervene and speak out about the rising number of farm attacks in the country.
