Probe spate of farm murders, urges DA
THE DA in the Western Cape has called for an investigation into the recent spate of farm murders in the province.
“The recent death of two farmers, shot dead in Klapmuts and Klein Dassenberg in the past few weeks, is yet another example of the increasingly violent crime many of our residents endure as a direct result of a blatant failure by the police to address crime in our province,” said Beverly Schäfer, the standing committee chairperson on economic opportunities, tourism, and agriculture.
Schäfer also called on Community Safety MEC Dan Plato to conduct an urgent investigation into a failure by the police to protect rural communities. “The SAPS must urgently enforce the Rural Safety Strategy, ensuring that rural police stations are fully equipped to protect our rural communities.”
Yesterday thousands of people participated in a motorcade to show support for victims of farm attacks. Similar demonstrations were held in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Pretoria. Motorists first started gathering in the early hours of the morning in Stellenbosch before making their way to the Mother City.
“It was a huge crowd. We are so happy and so grateful to everyone who held hands with one another,” convener Talita Basson said.
At the moment, Basson said, they had no further plans.
“But we want to encourage everyone to come forward and give us suggestions about how we can stop the brutality and crime in this country,” she said.
Cosatu said while it condemned the killing of farmers there were factors that contributed to the attacks.
“The evictions and assaults and killings of farmworkers contribute to the unsafe and violent environment on farms. Cosatu believes that these are attacks that take place on farms and not farm attacks, which is an attempt to politicise the violence and isolate it to one group.
“The food security debate is also one that has to be resolved. Farmers do not grow crops for food security; they grow crops to make profits, especially the commercial farming operations,” Cosatu provincial secretary Tony Ehrenreich said. –