Farm attacks 'mainly criminal'

2002-10-21 13:08

Johannesburg - "Farm attacks" have increased in South Africa, leaving the police and farming community increasingly at odds about the motives behind these incidents.

Police farm-attacks expert Johan Burger says that underlying the phenomenon - of murder and robbery on farms - is the legacy of South Africa's brutal apartheid years.

Police statistics illustrate the increasing number and violent nature of the attacks.

In 1997, the total number of incidents was 433. By 1998, the number had increased to 769. It jumped to 813 in 1999 and to 906 in 2000.

The latest figures, for 2001, have not been cleared for release by the government. However, the Irin network has learnt that the national agricultural organisation, AgriSA, puts the number at about 1 000.

In 1997, there were 88 murders connected to farms attacks. By 1998, the figure had jumped to 142 and was at 144 in 1999. It stabilised at 144 murders in 2000. The figures for 2001 are believed to show a small increase on the 2000 statistics.

Attacks not political, says expert

Burger, a police assistant commissioner, said: "Yes, there has been an increase, unfortunately."

But, he dismissed claims that the attacks were perpetrated for political reasons. The motives were more often than not theft, not to chase white farmers off the land.

Burger said the farming community - which historically had been mostly white - was often suspicious of the police because they believed there was a more sinister motive behind farm incidents, especially in light of recent developments in Zimbabwe.

Mostly, motive is criminal

Recent research has calculated the percentage of crimes committed on farms for purposes of revenge, or any reason other than criminal, at just 8%.

Burger said: "In more than 90% of cases we have studied - these were cases investigated on a factual basis with the intention of taking a case to court, so they were evidence-driven - the motive behind the attack was criminal.

"We have had no indication yet that there was any involvement of organised crime syndicates or politically organised groups [in farm attacks]," he added.

"There was an attack in North West province where the attackers left a note with [political] slogans to try to mislead police during the investigation.

Serious crimes 'stabilised'

"The case was properly investigated and we found no connection to any political party or grouping. There have been no attacks with any confirmed involvement of any political group."

Criminal incidents on farms could not be divorced from the fact that crime levels throughout South Africa were "unacceptably high".

"It's a complex issue... we all know that, especially serious and violent crime, levels are unacceptably high.

"We have had a marked success in the past two years in stabilising most of these serious crimes. We've succeeded in bringing down the murder rate by 40% since 1994.

"It's been decreasing on a yearly basis; rape, serious assault and even attempted murder have been stabilising in the past year or two," he said.

"But, still, it's a high rate. And, throughout the country, our unemployment rate is high, as you know. The official rate is about 38%; unofficially, people put it much higher.

"We have a huge socio-economic problem in this country, which we believe may contribute, as people are inclined to commit crime just to sustain themselves," he said.

Farms and smallholdings made "softer targets" for criminals who were increasingly "confronted by people who are more alert and much better armed ... in urban areas".

High walls, electrified fences and armed-response private security firms have become standard security arrangements for many suburbanites in South Africa.

Burger said: "The criminals find much more resistance in urban areas, the police reaction time is much quicker in urban areas. They see farming areas as more vulnerable and attractive."

AgriSA farm-attacks expert Kobus Visser told Irin a commission of inquiry established by the government was due to issue a report on its findings in December.

After-effects take their toll

"They've been going now for about 18 months and it's quite a task to come up with a legitimate position on what the probable motives are for farm attacks.

"We see it as a very serious problem, it has a negative effect on the farming community.

Visser said: "When a murder is committed, it takes about 18 months before that farm is back in production and the workers employed on that farm can get salaries again."

Organised agriculture hoped the commission would be able to explain why attacks on farms increased while "normal crimes" decreased over the same period.

Burger said: "The difference between this country and Zimbabwe is that our government has clearly committed itself to a legal programme of land reform and has spoken out clearly against what has happened in Zimbabwe and their actions bear out their words." - IRIN

- News24