Minister Cele must fast-track Rural Safety Summit interventions to combat rising farm attacks
12 October 2022
Agri SA is deeply concerned about the spike in violent farm attacks in recent months. While violent crime appears to be on the rise across the board, we have noted a particularly concerning increase in farm attacks, leaving farmers and farm workers living in fear.
Coming after the Rural Safety Summit, held in June 2022, this trend points to the urgent need for the implementation of the Rural Safety Strategy and the resolutions adopted at the summit.
A key outcome of the Rural Safety Summit was the formation of an integrated task team to address priorities in rural safety. This team has identified key interventions that must be prioritised to increase rural safety. The tabling of these interventions for adoption by the Cabinet is long overdue, and Agri SA calls on Minister of Police Bheki Cele to fast-track this process in order to address rural safety now.
Violent crime has been in the spotlight recently, including the murder of a German tourist in Mpumalanga. That province in particular has seen a disproportionate increase in violent farm attacks including the brutal attack on a macadamia farmer with a panga on his property. The upward trend in these attacks has been evident for months now, and urgent action is required.