DA condemns the loss of life of four persons in a spate of farm attacks in Free State

The DA in the Free State condemns in the strongest terms the three separate farm attacks across the Free State over the last two days that saw the brutal murder of four persons.

On Wednesday evening, an 87 year old farmer from Parys was attacked and murdered with a hammer. Yesterday, the bullet riddled bodies of a farmer and a domestic worker were found in a farmhouse outside Wepener. The names of the victims have been withheld until the families have been notified.

Yesterday evening, Mr Johannes du Randt, a farmer from Ladybrand, was brutally murdered on his farm.

On behalf of the DA, we extend our heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of the victims.

We call upon the SAPS to employ all resources at their disposal to investigate these heinous crimes and to bring the murderers to book. Our rural communities continue to be plagued by increasing crime and too little is being done to protect farmers and farm workers.

We cannot accept that far-flung rural communities across the Free State continue to live in fear for their lives.

The DA again reiterates its call on the SAPS to immediately establish specialised rural safety units in order to fight this scourge of violent crime within rural communities. I will be writing to Police Minister Fikile Mbalula to urge him to act immediately.

Statement issued by Roy Jankielsohn MPL, DA Leader of the Official Opposition, Free State Legislature, 21 April 2017