AfriForum welcomes judgement in Eston farm murder trial

The Pietermaritzburg High Court has sentenced Siboniso Mtolo to life imprisonment for murdering a farmer in Eston, KwaZulu-Natal in September last year.

In sentencing, Judge Isaac Madondo said: “Everybody needs to be protected from people like Mtolo, but more especially our farming communities”. The Judge also mentioned that the Court hopes this sentence would serve as a deterrent to criminals who have been terrorising farming communities for years.

“AfriForum welcomes the sentence and especially the Judge’s statement wherein he confirmed that the farming community needs special protection. AfriForum has requested Police Minister, Nathi Mthethwa for the past year to prioritise farm attacks, but to no avail. AfriForum trusts that Judge Madondo’s statement will force open the eyes of the SAPS’ top management,” said Chris Fourie, Community Coordinator for AfriForum in KwaZulu-Natal.

“There have been more than 770 farm attacks, including farm murders, in KwaZulu-Natal since 2001. These farmers that get attacked and murdered provide a service to all South Africans. Without their produce, the country would starve and the economy would collapse.”

AfriForum in KZN has requested a meeting with the Provincial Police Commissioner as well as the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform to discuss ways how the farming community, AfriForum and the respective departments can join forces to put an end to the murdering of farmers.

Support AfriForum’s campaign of putting national and international pressure on the South African government to prioritise farm murders. SMS “the name of your town” to 45344. 50c/SMS.