National police commissioner Riah Phiyega must declare farm murders a priority crime, civil rights group AfriForum said on Monday (02/07/2012).
It also wanted the commissioner to establish specialist units to deal with rural safety, AfriForum deputy CEO Ernst Roets said in a statement.
"We are not calling for the attacks to be elevated above any other murders. The reality, however, is that a disproportionate number of farmers are murdered compared with the national murder rate.
"We intend to meet with both [Police Minister Nathi] Mthethwa and Phiyega soon and are currently drawing up a comprehensive report on the scope and impact of farm attacks with the assistance of various experts.” Several farm attacks took place in June.
A 57-year-old farmer was robbed of an undisclosed amount of money on his farm in Lichtenburg, North West, on June 8. An elderly couple was attacked on their farm near Ladysmith, in KwaZulu-Natal, on June 11.
An elderly farmer was shot dead and his wife was wounded when they were attacked on their farm in Tolwe, Limpopo, on June 20. A Northern Cape man was attacked on a farm near Kuruman on June 24. - Sapa
