#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

25 May Wreath-laying at and memorandum to the office of Mr. Nathi Mthethwa, then Minister of Police. In total, 1 445 roses were laid down.

19 June AfriForum holds a “Stap teen geweld” (walk against violence) march to the Union Buildings in cooperation with Bobby and Karlien van Jaarveld. A memorandum is handed to President Zuma’s representative.

4 October AfriForum writes a letter to President Zuma in which the reality of farm murders is highlighted.

30 November Memorandums are delivered to 100 police stations across South Africa. These memorandums demand stronger actions against farm murders.

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.

 

12 August AfriForum confirms again that farm murders cannot be curbed with normal legal processes and that only a focused anti-strategy will sustainably resolve the crisis.

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.

3 October AfriForum launches the “Hoe lank nog?” (how long still?) campaign. It delivers 10 000 emails to the Minister of Police.

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.

26 June International Day in Support of Victims: AfriForum enlists the support of the International Council against Torture (CAT) in its fight against farm murders.

 

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.

 

21 March AfriForum holds a meeting with Mr Senzeni Zokwana, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, during which steps are discussed to ensure the safety of farmers.

16 May Treurgrond, a movie that portrays the reality of farm murders, is released. AfriForum is the sponsor.

3 July AfriForum visits Perth, Australia, to raise awareness for farm attacks in South Africa.

 

4 August AfriForum submits a memorandum for the prioritisation of farm murders at the office of the Minister of Police in Pretoria, where a fight brakes out between AfriForum members and the Police.

 

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.

1 December AfriForum intensifies its campaign to create international awareness for farm murders. Memorandums are delivered to 15 embassies, which request these countries to pressurise the South African Government to prioritise farm murders.

2016

10 February AfriForum releases the farm murder and attack figures for 2015, which indicate that 2015 saw the most farm attacks in 15 years.

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