AfriForum wants farmers to take up arms

Lobby group refuses to withdraw statement labelled irresponsible

AFRIKANER lobby group AfriForum has refused to withdraw its statement that farmers must take up arms to protect themselves.

This, after the Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation said it was irresponsible to say so, and demanded that the group retract it.

In a joint statement on Wednesday, AfriForum and the Southern African Agri Initiative (SAAI), a farming family organisation, said there were 552 farm attacks in 2019, up from 433 in 2018.

“AfriForum’s data shows that rural communities are starting to fight back and become more prepared. It is clear that we cannot count on government to introduce measures to safeguard rural communities. It is therefore very important for people to know how to protect themselves.

“The significant increase in farm attacks in 2019 proves that the police does not have the capacity or power to prevent violent crime on farms. This means that you will most probably have to rely on yourself in case of a violent farm attack.

“To facilitate this, AfriForum established 150 community safety structures (with more than 12 000 active safety members) across the country who cooperate.

“AfriForum also offers safety training to its members to help them to be more prepared.

“If you can defend yourself, you can defend your family; if you can defend your family, you can defend your neighbours; when neighbours defend each other, they defend the community,” said Ian Cameron, AfriForum’s head of community safety.

Rural and Farmworkers Development Organisation executive director Billy Claasen said yesterday that crime affected everyone, and the country had to be united in its approach to combat it.

“Afriforum only called on farmers to take up weapons, but said nothing about farmworkers. Most of these so-called farm attacks are as a result of poor relationships on farms between farmer and farmworker.

“We call on AfriForum to withdraw their irresponsible statement as it can lead to widespread violence in rural areas.

“They need to know that such statements will cause unnecessary tension between people,” Claasen said.

Cameron said AfriForum would not withdraw its statement.

“Never once, and as emphasised, have we said that other members of the rural community aren’t impacted by violent crime in rural areas.

“It is, although, a fact that 66% of victims of farm attacks are farmers or farm owners themselves. Twenty-six percent of victims were workers and AfriForum has provided counselling, free of charge to farmers and farm workers alike throughout South Africa.

“The criticism from a sideshow organisation with no solution adds no value, and should be ignored as a desperate attempt for attention,” said Cameron.