Fewer farm murders
2003-06-18 21:50
Pretoria - Farm murders in the country have decreased for the first time in six years, while the number of farm attacks have stabilised.
Director Sally de Beer, spokesperson for police chief Jackie Selebi, on Wednesday said that fewer farm murders occurred in the first few months of this year compared to the same period last year.
This comes one week after Charles Nqakula, minister of safety and security, said "the need to rob" was probably the biggest motive for farm attacks.
An independent committee investigating farm attacks will release a report on its findings at the end of the month.
"Police appointed a priority committee in 1997 to monitor farm attacks and farm murders," De Beer said.
She said police found the decrease in the number of farm murders encouraging. "Several operations and the rural safety plan have contributed to the decline."
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