During in the first six months of this year 30 people were murdered on farms in South Africa. This is the same number of murders which occurred during the corresponding period in 2013.
Farm attacks in South Africa increased from 106 last year to 124 for the first six months in 2014.
“What is worrying,” said Mr Henry Geldenhuys, Deputy President of TAU SA and Chairman of the Security Committee, “is that the number of farm attacks increased from 106 last year to 124 this year. It is clear that the number of attacks are increasing. The fact that the level of fatalities did not increase accordingly, is most likely due to greater awareness among farmers as well as the fact that TAU SA’s rural safety plan is being implemented thus increasing the safety and security footprint.”
In the light of the latest figures TAU SA welcomed the South African Human Rights Commission’s (SAHRC) announcement that it would undertake an investigation into farm murders.
“For many years we have called upon government to initiate a proper investigation into farm murders end in particular into the motives behind it.For some time know we have been asking questions about the true motive behind some murders, especially where people have been tortured and murdered without any significant indications of theft. The military precision with which some of the attacks were planned and executed also raise serious questions about who are behind it,” said Mr Geldenhuys.
photo credit: CIAT International Center for Tropical Agriculture via photopin cc
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