AfriForum welcomes inclusion of farm murders in crime stats
The organisation acknowledged that, while the number of attacks remained shockingly high, the fewest murders had been recorded since 1994.
AfriForum has welcomed the decision by the police to include farm murders in their 2018/2019 crime statistics under the header of “Violence at farms and smallholdings”.
It, however, appealed to the police to provide a more detailed section on farm attacks, as well as farm murders in future.
“We feel only one slide showing 47 farm murders and 36 other incidences related to farm violence does not reflect the true extent and impact of the 418 farm attacks and 48 farm murders we have recorded,” said AfriForum information manager for community safety, Guido Urlings.
Urling said, while the number of attacks remained shockingly high, his organisation acknowledged the murders were fewest since 1994.
READ MORE: NEWSFLASH: Laudium man arrested for murder
“We believe that many farmers and rural communities have now reached a level of preparedness and organisation that enables them to effectively fight or even deter would-be attackers,” said AfriForum legal and risk manager Marnus Kamfer.
“We see more and more reports of farmers, farmworkers and others who successfully defend themselves from ruthless attackers, or who quickly apprehend suspects afterwards.”
“We, therefore, encourage all other farmers, their families and workers, as well as the rural communities, in general, to form a farm- or neighbourhood watch to further decrease the number of attacks and – especially – murders.”
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
