#STOPTHEMURDERS – Timeline
AfriForum has been driving a campaign since 2012 to have farm murders prioritised. Although the organisation is of the opinion that the problem has not been resolved completely, it sees the announcement as a giant leap in the right direction.
These are the most important milestones in the campaign to have farm murders prioritised:
2012
4 October AfriForum writes a letter to President Zuma in which the reality of farm murders is highlighted.
1 December A protest march to the Minister’s office.
2013
8 January AfriForum lays a complaint against the Minister of Police with the Public Protector.
17 January The letters of hundreds of farm attack victims are delivered to the Minister of Police.
20 February AfriForum intensifies its farm murder campaign.
20 March AfriForum takes up farm attacks with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) after the organisation was approached by various victims and their families.
30 Mei AfriForum and victims request SAHRC trial on farm attacks.
18 June AfriForum exposes police negligence in farm attacks at conference.
11 July The “Stop die moorde” (stop the murders) campaign launched.
27 June AfriForum follows double strategy against farm murders.
28 August Farm murder wreath-laying
11 September AfriForum and victims of farm attacks take farm murder petition to the United Nations (UN).
18 September AfriForum starts protecting communities by way of neighbourhood watches and radio systems.
26 September Five victims of farm attacks ride 1 000 km with quadbikes to raise awareness for farm murders.
4 November The “Hoe lank nog?” (how long still?) song is released in support of the farm murder campaign.
26 November AfriForum at the UN in Geneva about minority rights.
2014
23 May AfriForum at the UN’s Forum for Minority Issues.
23 June AfriForum launches national farm attack study.
3 July Die SAHRC investigates safety and human rights on farms.
27 August AfriForum releases information document to raise awareness in communities about farm murders.
10 September AfriForum participates in the international protest march against farm murders.
2015
15 January Statistics on farm attacks and murders in 2014 released.
2 February AfriForum visits the farmers’ market with farm murders issues to market the film Treurgrond.
3 July AfriForum visits Perth, Australia, to raise awareness for farm attacks in South Africa.
5 October AfriForum requests the Police to release their statistics on farm attacks.
2 November AfriForum requests President Zuma to enter into conversations with victims of farm attacks.
November AfriForum declares November 2015 as national month of protest against farm murders.
25 November AfriForum chastises the South African Government at the UN.
2016
26 February AfriForum triumphs in the High Court: the Police must present their farm murder statistics.
2017
16 March Report indicates correlation among politics, hate speech and rise in farm murders.
26 April Farm attacks and farm murders in South Africa: Statistics point to drastic increase in farm murders.
25 October 70 farm murders since 1 January: AfriForum launches civil motion of no confidence in Fikile Mbalula