More than 95% of all farm attacks and murder incidents still unsolved
12 September 2023
Out of the 1 402 farm attacks and farm murder incidents recorded by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in the past four years (from 2019 to 2022), convictions have so far been made in only 66 cases. This means that more than 95% of all these atrocities are still unsolved. These and other shocking figures regarding the arrest and prosecution of suspects involved in farm attacks and farm murder incidents that took place from 2019 to 2022 are contained in an AfriForum report that was released today during a media conference in Pretoria.
The report shows, among other things, that not a single successful prosecution of farm murders was made in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, the North West or the Northern Cape during the investigation period. “This despite the fact that the improvement of crime investigations and an increase in the number of prosecutions of all crimes committed in rural areas was set out as an explicit objective in the SAPS’ National Rural Safety Strategy (NRSS) that was implemented in 2019,” explains Johan Nortjé, AfriForum researcher and compiler of this report entitled “Rural injustice: The low prosecution rates for farm attacks and murders”.
“Weak investigative work, ineffective prosecutions and a clear unwillingness of the government to tackle rural safety and farm attacks in particular are probably the reason for these shocking findings,” explains Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s spokesperson for Community Safety. “The figures reveal a bitter truth, namely that farm attackers not only believe that they can get away with their inexcusable crimes – they know it.”
“That is why it is now more important than ever for farming communities to organise themselves, be trained and set up robust safety networks,” says Broodryk.
For the first time this report now also offers a perspective on the nationality of arrested farm attackers. The vast majority of attackers arrested are South Africans and not foreign nationals as is often claimed by some.
Get involved with your nearest AfriForum neighbourhood or farm watch at www.afriforumbuurtwag.co.za.
Fact Sheet
Rural injustice: The low prosecution rates for farm attacks and murders
Farm murders
Out of the 153 farm murder incidents recorded by SAPS in the four years from 2019 to 2022, there were convictions in only 24 incidents. Therefore 84% of farm murder incidents are still unsolved.
In terms of arrests following farm murder incidents, Mpumalanga and Gauteng fared the worst. In Mpumalanga, arrests were made in 20% of the cases, while out of the 19 incidents in Gauteng, arrests were made in only two cases (or 11% of cases).
Not a single farm murder incident that took place from 2019 to 2022 in Gauteng, Mpumalanga, North West or the Northern Cape has led to the conviction of any suspects.
Farm attacks
From 2019 to 2022, SAPS recorded 1 249 farm attacks (excluding farm murder incidents). In 22% of these attacks (or 269 incidents) arrests were made.
So far, convictions have been made in only 3% (or 42 incidents) of all farm attacks (excluding farm murder incidents).
Limpopo, Mpumalanga and Gauteng have the lowest arrest rates for farm attacks where arrests were reported in only 20%, 14% and 9% of cases respectively.
In the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga, no convictions have so far been made on any of the 95 farm attacks in these provinces.
Farm murders and farm attacks
In the combined figures of farm attacks and farm murder incidents from 2019 to 2022, convictions were made in only 66 of the 1 402 incidents. This amounts to approximately 4,7% of all incidents. More than 95% of all farm attacks and murders are therefore still unsolved.
Nationality of arrested suspects
The vast majority of arrested murder suspects (from 2019 to 2022) were South Africans (86%). The nationalities of other arrested murder suspects were residents of Lesotho (8%), Zimbabweans (4%) and Mozambicans and individuals of unknown nationalities (1% each).
The vast majority of arrested farm attack suspects (from 2019 to 2022) were South Africans (78%). The next largest nationality was Zimbabweans (13%), followed by citizens of Mozambique (5%) and Lesotho (2%). Some suspects from Namibia, Tanzania and Malawi were also arrested (as well as some with unknown nationalities).
ENDS
Issued by Jacques Broodryk, Spokesperson: Community Safety, AfriForum, 12 September 2023
