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Two former black police officers were caught by quick thinking South African farmers in a thwarted farm attack near Fouriesburg. It has been reported that an RI assault rifle, 15 rounds as well as a Norinco pistol with nine bullets were recovered in the vehicle in used by five black attackers. 

The number of farm attacks has escalated in the past months while the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa distanced himself from the issue. 

“The ruling ANC party and certain other parties’ reckless statements regarding land and expropriation are therefore extremely irresponsible,” said Jan van Niekerk, member of the Freedom Front Plus.

“There is no political will to protect and assist farmers and their workers. Cheap election rhetoric has aggravated the problem,” he added.

In a press conference held in Centurion on June 4, Ian Cameron of civil rights organization AfriForum, revealed that in South Africa from 1 January to 31 May 2019 there have been 184 Farm attacks and 20 farm murders: 

”Attacks in the Western Cape increased extremely, in such a manner that more than double the number of attacks were reported from 1 January to 31 May 2019 compared to this period in 2018. If one looks at South Africa there is a tendency of murders being committed with knives or sharp objects, while the vast majority of farm murders are committed with firearms.”

 “Statistics show farm murders not socioeconomically motivated, AfriForum’s data indicates that the farm attackers do not always loot money, but people were badly hurt.”

Deputy CEO of AfriForum, Ernst Roets shared his opinion that the situation should be seriously considered:

“Farm murders and attacks are serious crises. It is important that we communicate factually about it; it is however just as important that we acknowledge the extent of the crisis for what it is.

“The biggest mistake you can make to determine the motive of these attacks is to say that is only a single cause. The realty is a complex phenomenon. We are worried about the climate of this situation in SA.”

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