Police arrested five suspects this weekend in connection with a farm attack where Donovan Marx was shot and had his ears severed.
MK party Member of Parliament Andile Mngxitama. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Political parties have stated their intention to have uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party parliamentarian Andile Mngxitama sanctioned over a now-deleted social media post.
On Saturday evening, the former Black First, Land First movement leader posted his assessment of a farm attack that occurred near Ventersdorp earlier in the week.
Farmer Donovan Marx was allegedly stabbed, shot in the back and tortured on 28 October, with the attackers severing his ears.
“Attacking the ears is symbolic to denote the refusal of land thieves to listen. No land, no peace.
“Farm life is overdetermined by systematic violence. Blacks got killed and fed to pigs,” Mngxitama posted on X.
‘No place in South Africa for dog whistles’
The MK parliamentarian later deleted the post, but not before it could be screenshotted by those highlighting the brutality of farm attacks.
The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) and the DA (DA) both said on Sunday they would ask the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) to investigate whether Mngxitama violated hate speech regulations.
DA spokesperson for agriculture Desiree van der Walt stated that promoting violence was “patently unconstitutional”, and that Mngxitama should be disciplined.
“On the face of it, Mngxitama does not even pretend to follow the law or apply the constitution, instead he uses politics to justify the attempted murder of a man, and the cutting off of his ears.
“There is no place in South Africa for dog whistles like this which can lead to further violence and intimidation,” stated Van der Walt.
FF+ parliamentarian and chief whip Heloïse Denner went a step further, stating the party would lay a complaint with parliament’s ethics committee, as well as with the SAHRC.
“Such remarks are unacceptable and have no place in a modern, civilised society. This is nothing but blatant hate speech and is typical of the brutality characterising many farm attacks,” said Denner.
“Members of parliament also undertake to always conduct themselves in a manner that puts the interests of the public and parliament before their own. Mngxitama does not belong in parliament.”
Farm attack arrests
Police arrested five suspects aged between 26 and 56 this weekend in connection with the attack on Marx.
Police arrested two suspects on Saturday near Ventersdorp, with others caught on Sunday near Potchefstroom.
“Police seized four firearms, of which two are linked to the Ventersdorp incident, as well as clothing items and jewellery.
“The arrests follow an incident that occurred on Wednesday, 28 October, during which a 50-year-old farmer was shot and brutally assaulted, with his ears allegedly cut off,” police confirmed.
The suspects are expected in Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp Magistrate’s Courts on Tuesday to face charges of attempted murder, house robbery and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.
