Make farm murders a priority crime

 "The murder of yet another farmer near Potchefstroom is unacceptable and the Freedom Front Plus is worried about the increase in farm murders from the beginning of this year. We have been asking for a long time that farm murders, just like transit heists, be declared a priority crime.

Ironically, the government found in its own report on farm murders that the chances of a farmer dying in a farm attack is three times greater than a security guard dying in a cash-in-transit-heist. Still farm murders are not being declared a priority crime. The FF Plus will therefore continue to have it declared as such. Pres. Zuma says that land reform should be treated with circumspect as it is an emotional issue. The reality is that farm murders are not only emotional but traumatic and I do not hear Zuma having ever condemned farm murders.

The ANC would like to have food security which has to be provided by farmers but they do not give farmers any certainty about their security and their land. The FF Plus will like it has done in the past, continue to present these issue in Parliament," Pieter Groenewald, the chief spokesperson on Police and the Provincial Leader of the Freedom Front Plus in the Northwest, says.

Statement issued by Mr. Pieter Groenewald, FF Plus provincial leader: Northwest and chief spokesperson: Police, February 22 2012

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