AfriForum and victims will take petition on farm murders to UN

AfriForum and victims whose loved ones were murdered on farms started a petition today for prioritizing farm murders. The petition will be submitted to the United Nations Forum for Minority Issues in November this year. At this event, a report entitled “The Mthethwa Docket” was also introduced. The report details ten instances during the past two years where victims tried to contact the Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, in order to obtain his intervention in farm murders. Their efforts were treated with disdain. AfriForum also unveiled a video with the title “How long still?” in which some of the victims related their efforts to communicate with Mr Mthethwa.

Members of the public are requested to support the petition at hoelanknog.afriforum.co.za. The petition will be closed on 1 November, after which the final preparation for AfriForum’s participation in the UN Forum will commence. AfriForum has registered as a participant and will be afforded the opportunity to address the Forum. The petition will serve as supporting evidence for a report to be submitted at the same time. AfriForum will also meet with particular UN officials in order to discuss the matter in more detail.

Ernst Roets, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, said the organisation’s aim with the Mthethwa Docket was to expose Mr Mthethwa’s don’t care-attitude towards farm murders.

“Mthethwa pays lip service to the issue, but has taken no real steps to curb farm murders. As a matter of fact, every step taken by Government during the past decade in terms of farm murders actually amounted to deprioritizing the crime. AfriForum demands that farm murders be prioritized, as these crimes are unique and require a unique counter-strategy.”

Roets added that Mr Mthethwa’s actions to date indicate that he chose to be part of the problem rather than the solution.

“As long as Mthethwa refuses to act decisively, we will make sure that the public do not only hold criminals accountable for this abhorrence, but also the Minister of Police.”