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Farm Murders In South Declared A Priority Crime By Police As They Raise Concern About Increased Farm Attacks

By Jinger Jarrett
Published on: 22:10 PST, Feb 8, 2016

For the fifth straight year in a row, farm murders in South Africa have increased. The African National Congress (ANC) under President Jacob Zuma has ignored the problem even though civil rights groups like Afriforum have continued to work to make the farm attacks a priority crime in South Africa and the organization took action by traveling to the United Nations to bring attention to the crime.

Farming in South Africa is the most dangerous occupation in the world. Since apartheid ended in 1994, at least 3,000 farmers, or 10 percent of farmers in South Africa, have been murdered, although Afriforum reported last year that around 1,753 farmers had been murdered. The former estimate is higher because the cause of death for farmers is often reported as something else.

SA Promo Magazine reported that the police in South Africa have finally declared farm murders to be a priority crime. Deputy CEO of Afriforum Ersnt Roets released a statement saying that the acting National Police Commander, Lt-Gen. Khomotso Phahlane said the crimes would be prioritized. This is in addition to rural attacks and livestock theft, also crimes he promised to prioritize. The ANC and the ruling ANC had previously stated that these crimes would be treated as ordinary crimes.

Afriforum has been conducting a campaign for the last few years to make farm murders a priority crime. The management of Afriforum recently met with the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr Senzeni Zokwana, to discuss the farm murders and prevention techniques to ensure the farm attacks would end.

As previously reported in The Inquisitr, Human Rights Watch released their latest report on human rights in South Africa. The focus of the report included attacks and murders of refugees, education for disabled children, rape and violence against women. The report ignored both farm murders and white genocide. Murder as a whole was also ignored, and both murder and farm murders have increased for the fifth straight year in a row.

The ANC led government under President Jacob Zuma has continued to ignore farm murders and white genocide. Government employees like Velaphi Khumalo, of the Gauteng Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation Department have called for the killing of whites in South Africa the same way that Hitler killed the Jews. Although Khumalo later wrote an apology, he faced disciplinary action for his comments.

New Era reported that the police in Namibia have also raised concerns over the farm attacks in Namibia after Namibian Agricultural Union (NAU), Ryno van der Merwe and a delegation that included the chairperson of Joint Crime Prevention Forum (JCPF), Frikkie Engels paid a visit to the Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga. Namibia is a country in Southwest Africa that was once a part of South Africa. Police also planned to communicate their concerns to regional and station commanders in order to encourage cooperation between police and civil organizations.

Farm murders became a priority after an attack against an elderly couple rocked the Otjiwarongo community, and a son and grandson were severely assaulted. The son was shot several times and later died in a local hospital. Police have stated that they are aware of threats made against farmers where the perpetrators were using cell phones and have asked the farmers to get as many details as possible in order to take action against the threats.

[Photo by Deaan Vivier / Beeld / Gallo Images / Getty Images]

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