SAHRC to hold a trial re farm murders

The Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, Adv Lawrence Mushwana confirmed to AfriForum in a letter that the Commission has come to a decision to hold a public trial regarding farm murders. The decision was made at a session of all the commissioners of the SAHRC after considering a formal request by AfriForum.

The theme of the trial will be:

"Status of Implementation of the SAHRC 2003 and 2008 Recommendations of the Commission on Safety and Security in Farming Communities."

Ernst Roets, Deputy CEO of AfriForum said they're elated about this step. He added that the organisation will make available all resources to its disposal to the SAHRC. The organisation will also request the Commission to give victims of farm attacks as well as AfriForum the opportunity to testify about the subject.

"The problem is that government still refuses to release statistics about farm murders. On the one hand it looks like the crisis is worsening, but on the other the Department of Police to a large extent deprioritized farm murders by suspending the commandos in 2003 and deciding in 2007 to no longer release farm murder stats. Years back, government recognized that farmers were targeted in exceptionally brutal attacks, but now, a total denial of the true extent of the crisis prevails."

AfriForum earlier submitted formal complaints at the SAHRC against the careless attitude of the Department of Police against the continued wave of brutal farm attacks and farm murders in the country. A volume of letters of farm attack victims, who added their voices to AfriForum's complaint, was also submitted at the SAHRC, as well as a report by the Solidarity Research Institute regarding the matter and a copy of the book, Land of Sorrow (Kraal Publishers).

Statement issued by Ernst Roets, Deputy CEO, AfriForum, July 2 2014

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