Wave of violent murders and attacks warrants specialist units against crime 

27 May 2019

The wave of violent farm attacks and murders that has swept through South Africa since the elections earlier this month is extremely disturbing and serves as proof that there is a serious need for specialist units, like the former murder and robbery unit and an additional unit for farm attacks, to combat crime effectively.

The FF Plus is concerned about the cruelty exhibited in some of the attacks and is disappointed that President Cyril Ramaphosa did not condemn such crimes more strongly during his inauguration speech this past Saturday.

In the most recent incident, two young people were murdered in broad daylight in Benoni after their vehicle ran out of fuel.

The 19-year-old Johanco Fleischman and his friend, Jessica Kuhn (21), were apparently shot and killed for no reason. Thus far, only a cell phone seems to have been taken. Running out of fuel and being stranded next to the road in South Africa cannot equal the death penalty.

Last week Monday, Ms Annette Kennealy (50), a well-known activist against farm murders, was bludgeoned to death with a metal pipe and a hammer on her small holdings near Louis Trichardt. A man who had apparently worked for her for years has been arrested.

Two weeks ago, Mr Tool Wessels (55) and his wife, Liezel, were cruelly tortured before Mr Wessels was killed. According to media reports, a 19-year-old Lesotho citizen has been arrested while three other suspects are still at large.

According to AfriForum, there has also been various other farm attacks in the Boland where this kind of crime was unheard of before.

The FF Plus strongly condemns these incidents as well as every other incident of violence and crime in South Africa, particularly the ones where people are injured or killed. The party also wants to express heartfelt sympathy for the next of kin of the victims of crime.

Violent crime has become much too prevalent in South Africa and it threatens peace, stability and human relations in the country. The FF Plus will strive to put more pressure on the government to take serious action and combat crime effectively.

Issued by Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus leader, 27 May 2019