Protect our farmers NOW: Demand for action after brutal attacks
Brutal farm attacks spark demands for stronger rural policing and the retention of self-defence firearm licences.
Government must act now to protect farmers and rural families following a series of brutal attacks in North West, advocacy organisation Civil Society South Africa (CSSA) has demanded.
In a statement issued on November 5, CSSA called for the urgent funding and accelerated implementation of the revised Rural Safety Strategy, improvements to police response capacity and stronger action against illegal firearms.
It also demanded that government abandon proposed changes that would remove self-defence as a ground for obtaining a firearm licence.
CSSA spokesperson Reece Clark highlighted three attacks in North West within four weeks: the attack on Les and Natasha Brett in Broederstroom, the attack on cattle farmer Donovan Marx near Ventersdorp and the killing of Hannetjie van Zyl outside Ottosdal.
“Three families in one province in four weeks. On a farm, help is kilometres of dirt road away, and Parliament’s own committees have found that rural police response is significantly delayed,” Clark said.
“Government cannot leave people that exposed and then take away their right to lawfully prepare to protect their own lives.”
The Bretts were attacked at their Broederstroom home on Sunday night, November 1.
Police confirmed that seven licensed firearms and ammunition were stolen, along with electronic equipment and other valuables. A close family friend and private security responders described hours of torture involving beatings and boiling water.
Police are investigating a house robbery and confirmed on November 5 that no arrests had been made.
CSSA also referred to the October 28 attack on Marx at Syferfontein, near Ventersdorp, where he was reportedly shot, stabbed and mutilated.
According to CSSA’s statement, four accused appeared in court on November 3 and remained in custody pending a bail hearing on November 13.
The organisation said the case relating to Van Zyl’s killing at her farm gate outside Ottosdal on October 5 was due to resume on November 24.
CSSA outlined five demands for government, beginning with retaining self-defence as a licensing ground under section 13 of the Firearms Control Act.
It wants any proposal to remove that ground withdrawn before the amendment bill goes to Cabinet. Self-defence remains a recognised licensing purpose under the existing law; CSSA’s objection concerns proposed changes.
The organisation also demanded the release of research, crime data, legal advice and impact assessments underpinning the proposed legislation.
CSSA said its Transparency Project had filed six applications under the Promotion of Access to Information Act since July 2026.
The applications were directed to bodies including the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service, SAPS, the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and the Presidency.
According to CSSA, most had been acknowledged, but none had received a full response.
The organisation said it would publish responses, refusals and instances of non-response, and pursue internal appeals, complaints to the Information Regulator and court action where necessary.
Its third demand is for government to fund and bring forward the revised Rural Safety Strategy.
According to CSSA, SAPS told Parliament that implementation would begin on April 1, 2027. The organisation wants the strategy published immediately, together with its budget and timelines.
CSSA further demanded improvements to rural police response capacity, including station-by-station reporting on vehicles and response times.
It cited a 2025 parliamentary finding that only 40% of SAPS vehicles in rural areas were suited to the terrain.
Finally, the organisation called for stronger efforts to trace and recover firearms stolen during farm attacks, disrupt illegal supplies and address losses from state stock.
According to CSSA, 3 433 SAPS firearms were lost or stolen between 2019 and 2024.
“The law-abiding farmer is not the problem in this country. The criminal is,” Clark said.
South Africans can read the campaign and add their names to CSSA’s submission at Legal Firearms Save Lives.
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