Twenty farm murders since Nhleko’s inauguration as Minister of Police

AfriForum requested an urgent meeting with the Minister of Police, Nkosinathi Nhleko regarding the wave of farm attacks and murders that hit the country in the past few months. This follows after Nico and Marsha Lens were shot dead on their farm in Paulpietersburg, KwaZulu-Natal last night. This brings the total number of farm murders since Nhleko’s inauguration, on 25 May 2014, to 20.

Ernst Roets, Deputy CEO of AfriForum explained in the letter to the Minister that a large number of the 100 000 AfriForum members across the country are affected by crime, especially by farm attacks and murders.

Roets further explained that AfriForum is doing their best to prevent farm murders. The organisation has community safety structures across South Africa that frequently patrol their areas and try to safeguard their own communities as far as possible.

“However, our frustration is that AfriForum fights the problem on the ground, while the political will to take urgent action against farm murders on a national level is non-existing,” said Roets.

AfriForum plans to present the Minister with practical steps that can be implemented by the Ministry of Police to curb farm attacks and murders.

AfriForum gave the Minister seven days to respond to the letter.