Parliament will decide in an upcoming sitting whether to establish an ad hoc committee to probe attacks and the murders of farmers and farm workers.
On Thursday, a mini-plenary debated a draft motion that was sponsored by Freedom Front Plus’ leader Pieter Groenewald.
In his motion, Groenewald said compromised rural safety and the brutality of farm attacks have a negative impact on the rural economy and food security.
He said the National Assembly should establish an ad hoc committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the impact of the increasing number of farm attacks and farm murders on rural safety and food security in South Africa.
The committee, he said, should assess the effectiveness of the existing safety measures to prevent and address the crimes, as well as recommending to Police Minister Bheki Cele to take the necessary steps to ensure the designation of farm attacks and murders as a national priority crime.
Should the ad hoc committee be established, it will conduct public hearings with all interested and affected parties, including farmers and farm-workers, civil society organisations and local communities, and report on its work in March next year.
Speaking during the debate, Groenewald said there were various reasons why he proposed the ad hoc committee.
“I don’t think I need to tell the honourable members of the importance of the agricultural sector. Its contribution to the GDP was R140 billion,” he said.
He noted that many rural crime strategies have been developed, but farm attacks and murders persisted.
Deputy Police Minister Cassel Mathale said the government was determined to fight all forms of crime from all angles.
“I fully agree with honourable Groenewald that the farming community plays an important role in the economy of South Africa and its well-being. It is important that at all material times we must be the first to the defence of the farming community,” Mathale said.
However, he poked holes in the draft motion, saying it should have been about how to help farmers deal with the cost of farming.
“The motion suggests that some quarters are more impacted by crime than others. This is simply not true, crime is crime and this administration, since 1994, has continued to walk the path outlined by then president Nelson Mandela and now President Cyril Ramaphosa, putting in place resources and funding for the safety of all rural and urban citizens, as well as farmers and farm workers.”
Mathale gave his own statistics showing that farm attacks and murders were declining in rural and farm communities.
DA MP Noko Masipa said according to figures from Afriforum and The Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa, there has been an increase in farm-related crimes.
“For years the DA has proactively suggested measures to curb crime and enhance security on farms. Instead of adopting these measures, the ANC government has instead chosen to bolster the security of Ramaphosa’s Cabinet ministers.”
Masipa said that they hoped the proposed ad hoc committee would compel Ramaphosa to establish a commission of inquiry that will chart the way forward for safer farming communities.
Cape Times