AfriForum Community Safety called on farmers, who are not yet involved in their local safety structures, to get involved immediately.

Recently there has been a series of brutal farm attacks and murders nationwide after the equality court ruled that the chant “Kill the Boer” does not constitute hate speech.

After this ruling, AfriForum made it abundantly clear that it will focus on expanding its safety structures and offer more training to farmers.

AfriForum launched its Safeguard a farm project in 2022, which focuses on providing farmers with the necessary training to prevent and deter farm attacks. The training is free of charge, and includes basic firearm handling, first aid, home and hearth protection and an overview of the necessary communication systems.

Rural areas have unique challenges when it comes to policing. Factors such as the large distances between neighbours and the time it takes emergency services to respond to these areas make it even more important for rural residents to organise themselves.

Between January and September this year, there have already been 257 farm attacks and 41 farm murders reported in South Africa.

“We are convinced that these figures would be much higher if it weren’t for the fact that more and more farmers began to prioritise their safety. Unfortunately, we have reached a point where it no longer helps to pressure the government to prioritise crime. We are now at a place where citizens must get involved in their local security structures such as neighbourhood watches, whether rural or urban,” says Jacques Broodryk, spokesperson for Community Safety at AfriForum.

“In the areas where farmers are organised well when it comes to communication networks, response teams and preventive actions such as patrols, in general, there is a noticeable decline in crime,” concludes Broodryk.

If you are interested in participating in AfriForum’s project, Safeguard a farm, visit here