The term “Farm attack” according to the South African law is not defined as a particular crime. The term “farm attack is referred to as some different offenses committed against persons, specifically on commercial farms or small holdings.
The South African Police Service National Operational Co-coordinating Committee, refers to attacks on farms as an act aimed at residents, workers or visitors, whether with the intent to murder, rape, rob or inflict bodily harm. Also, all actions aimed at disrupting farming activities as a commercial concern, whether for motives related to ideology, labor disputes, land issues, revenge, grievances, intimidation, should be included under the term “farm attack.”
There is a deliberate inaction of the government that has weakened rural security structures, and this facilitates farm murders, terrorizing white farmers to leave their farms. Over the last 20 years, the African National Congress has disarmed and abolished the rural Commandos run by farmers for their own self-defense. Since the disbandment, there has been a significant increase in the murder rate of farmers.
Many white farmers perceive the attacks to be racially motivated, and rightly so as there are almost no incidents of other farmers of different ethnic groups reported. Farm attacks are motivated by greed.
The South African Police Services (SAPS), in collaboration with several stakeholders, released statistics regarding farm attacks and farm murders from 2010/2011 until 2015/2016. Stakeholders involved included AfriForum, the African Farmers’ Association of South Africa (AFASA), Agri SA, TLU SA, AfriForum, Afrikaans Handels Instituut (AHI) and the Landbank. The report indicates a decrease in farm-related crime incidents during this period with police stations documenting the most cases in KwaDukuza (KwaZulu-Natal); as well as Brits, Rustenburg, Potchefstroom and Mooinooi (North West).
Please see attachment for an analysis of the total number of farm attacks and farm murders reported at police stations in South Africa from 2010/2011 to 2015/2016.
South Africa Today – South Africa News
