Police Minister ignores terror on farms; communities must fight back themselves 

17 April 2018

The civil rights organisation AfriForum a month ago directed a letter for the umpteenth time to Gen. Bheki Cele, Minister of Police, and requested to meet with him regarding violence on farms, as well as the land grab crisis staring the country in the face.

“Cele has up until today not even acknowledged receipt of this letter and just during the past 24 hours two murders have already been committed on farms in the country that were part of no less than approximately eight farm attacks over the past four days,” says Ian Cameron, AfriForum’s Head of Community Safety. 

“There is enough room in the law for people to take action themselves and not only respond reactively to these senseless acts of violence, but also act in a proactive manner to end the terror of farm attackers,” says Cameron.

Cameron believes that South Africans can already win half the battle if they prepare correctly and ensure that they do everything within their abilities and within the framework of the law that is necessary to be safer. 

“However, we need to ask ourselves if Government’s silence regarding farm murders isn’t making them accessory? We cannot however simply sit back and do nothing, we must use every way possible to safeguard people,” concludes Cameron.  

Issued by Marelie Greeff, Media Relations Officer, AfriForum, 17 April 2018