Who and what is AfriForum?

AfriForum is an Afrikaans civil rights organisation that protects the rights of minority groups at national as well as provincial level, and anyone who can identify with AfriForum’s principles and objectives may join the organisation. AfriForum’s community plan focuses on mobilising communities to thus take control of their own streets and neighbourhoods again. AfriForum ensures that your constitutional and civil rights are recognised and protected at national level.

Wie en wat is AfriForum?

AfriForum is ’n Afrikaanse burgerregteorganisasie wat die regte van minderheidsgroepe op sowel nasionale as provinsiale vlak beskerm, en enigiemand wat met AfriForum se beginsels en doelstellings kan identifiseer, mag by die organisasie aansluit. AfriForum se gemeenskapsplan fokus daarop om gemeenskappe te mobiliseer om só weer beheer terug te neem oor hul eie strate en woonbuurtes. AfriForum verseker dat jou grondwetlike én burgerregte op nasionale vlak erken en beskerm word.

Put words into action, demands AfriForum regarding Agriculture Minister’s promises to Trump about prioritisation of farm murders

Soundbite: Jacques Broodryk (English)

Soundbite: Jacques Broodryk (Afrikaans)

AfriForum called today on the Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, to live up to his promise to prioritise farm attacks. During the meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and US President Donald Trump on 21 May, Steenhuisen argued that farm attacks are something that he is worried about. He said that, together with his colleagues in the police and the justice system, farm attacks should be curbed and, together with stock theft, be declared priority crimes.

AfriForum emphasises that if Steenhuisen does not urgently take official steps to demand the prioritisation of farm attacks, his statements in the US will amount to gross deception and misrepresentation.

The civil rights organisation has repeatedly, albeit unsuccessfully, called for the prioritisation of farm attacks. It is tragic that the government, despite years of pressure and requests to prioritise farm murders and attacks, has repeatedly refused to implement the prioritisation. Yet other serious crimes, such as rhino poaching and cash-in-transit heists, have been given priority status.

According to Jacques Broodryk, Chief Spokesperson for Community Safety at AfriForum, it appears that the minister is playing the political game on the international stage. “It is unfortunate that it took a humiliating meeting with the leader of the US for the Minister of Agriculture to come to his senses and finally admit that farm attacks and murders should be declared a priority crime. This even though the issue has been ignored until now.”

Meanwhile, as recently as May of this year, AfriForum received feedback from the Hawks stating that this unit would not treat farm attacks as a priority crime. “This stands in stark contrast to the treatment of other crimes. While rhino poaching is considered a priority crime and political murders receive special attention through the establishment of dedicated task teams, farm attacks do not receive the same treatment. Clearly, politicians’ lives are considered much more important those of our farmers,” emphasises Broodryk.

Broodryk maintains that AfriForum will continue and expand its commitment to the protection of rural and farm communities.

“It is unacceptable that the government and the Hawks continue to refuse to prioritise farm attacks despite the brutal nature and frequency of this crime, as wells as numerous pleas, data submissions and provided evidence. It is time for government officials to stop abusing the suffering of farmers for political gain and instead to take decisive, transparent and concrete action to secure rural areas and prevent further loss of life,” concludes Broodryk.

Note to journalists

The full quote by John Steenhuisen during his visit to the Oval Office on 21 May: “As the Minister of Agriculture it is something that I am particularly exercised with my colleagues at Police and my colleagues in the justice cluster to stop, making farm attacks and stock theft a priority crime. And it affects all farmers in South Africa.”