Anti-White Farm Murders Accelerate in South Africa

​16 Dec 2020
 Source: Inkatha Freedom Party, 
No.2 Durban Club Place   
Durban 
4001

IFP: FARM MURDERS CONTINUE TO EXACT UNACCEPTABLE TOLL 
​
The IFP yet again calls on government to step up their efforts in the fight against farm murders. 

The IFP's call comes after a family of three, as well as an 85-year-old man, were killed in two separate farm attacks in Bishopstowe in KwaZulu-Natal over the course of three days.

The ongoing spate of farm murders, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, continue to exact an unacceptable toll. Not only is there an unacceptable and tragic loss of life, but also an additional negative impact upon organised agriculture, and food security. 

Government and the SAPS pay visits to these often violent scenes, and have made commitment upon commitment to allocate additional resources and manpower to counteract this scourge, yet we continue to receive reports of farm attacks, and read of farmers and farm workers being slaughtered, almost on a daily basis. 

The inability of government to deal decisively with farm murders could leave the farming community convinced that there is an organised campaign to purge them from the land, or an attempt to exact racial revenge for the wrongs committed during the days of apartheid.

We urgently appeal to the government - and especially the police - to acknowledge the importance of the safety of people in the rural areas, and specifically, the protection of farm owners and employees. Government and the police must do everything within their power, and use all means at their disposal, to prevent the current situation from escalating.

We call on the police to increase visibility in rural areas, and urge farmers to take every possible safety precaution.

There is already a crisis in commercial agriculture and these attacks are making it worse. If this situation continues, it will have a very negative impact on the economy, as well as South Africa`s food security. It is of crucial importance that the government prioritise the security of our farming community, instead of sitting on its hands while farmers and farm workers are terrorised by criminals. 

The IFP further calls on the KZN of Agriculture, Bongise Sithole-Moloi, to demand action from national government, and the task team announced by the government’s inter-ministerial committee on land reform in October 2020, to “deal with ongoing violent farm attacks”. 

The SAPS Rural Safety Strategy, which “aims to address rural safety as an integrated day-to-day policing approach by creating a safe and secure rural environment”, needs to be rolled out with immediate effect. 

The IFP further calls on the courts to show no mercy to anyone found guilty of attacking or killing a farmer or farm worker.
-

Contact:
Mr Nhlanhla Msimango, MPL
IFP KZN Provincial Spokesperson on Agriculture and Rural Development
078 302 4657