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In his weekly bulletin for the nation, President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned the murder of Brendin Horner, which has caused outrage among the farming community.
Horner’s body was discovered tied to a post, with several stab wounds and head injuries.
Shots were fired and a police vehicle was damaged as protesters turned up to Senekal Magistrates Court last Tuesday to attend the first court appearance of the two suspects linked to Horner’s death.
Ramaphosa said that while the anger over Horner’s murder was justifiable, vigilantism was not.
“The brutal murder of a young white farmer, allegedly by black men, followed by the spectacle of white farmers storming a police station (sic) to reach a black suspect has opened wounds dating back many generations.
“If we are to be successful in fighting violent crime, particularly in rural communities, we must confront this trauma and challenge the racial attitudes that prevent a united response,” he said.
READ MORE: Attacks on farms: ‘It’s not a question of if, but when you become a victim’
The president also highlighted the importance of the agricultural community for the country’s economy.
“The farming community produces the food we eat. Violent crime on farms represents not only a threat to the safety of our rural communities, but also to the food security of our nation, ”he added.
Meanwhile, vehicles, trucks and motorcycles gathered at Union Buildings in Pretoria on Saturday, October 10, where protesters prayed for farmers.
Read Ramaphosa’s letter below:
Dear fellow South African,
Just over a week ago, Brendin Horner, a young farm manager in the Free State, was murdered in a terrible act of cruelty.
His murder should anger and annoy us all.
No matter who we are, no matter what community we live in, no matter our race, creed or language, we should be as deeply affected by the death of Brendin Horner as we are by the many other South Africans who die violently every year. .
Just as we mourn the loss of his life, we also mourn the deaths of Mogamad Cloete, Tawqeer Essop and André Bennett, three young men who were shot in a car in Delft, Western Cape, the same week.
Our thoughts are with their families in this time of pain. It is in these moments that we are asked to reach out to each other as South Africans, to show compassion, empathy and solidarity.
These crimes are a stark reminder of the levels of violence in our country.
While crime affects everyone, most victims of violent crime are black and poor; and it is young black men and women who are disproportionately at risk of being killed.
We have a huge task to end murder, assault, robbery, rape and violence against women and children wherever it happens and to whom it affects.
It requires all peace-loving South Africans to come together not only to condemn these criminal acts, but also to work together to end them.
It requires that we adhere to the principles contained in our Constitution, that we uphold the rule of law, and that we strengthen our justice system to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
The violent protests that took place in Senekal following the arrest of the suspects in the murder of Brendin Horn show that we have not yet escaped the divisions and mistrust of our past.
While anger over senseless murder is justifiable, vigilantism is not.
The brutal murder of a young white farmer, allegedly by black men, followed by the spectacle of white farmers storming a police station to reach a black suspect has opened wounds dating back many generations.
If we are to be successful in fighting violent crime, particularly in rural communities, we must confront this trauma and challenge the racial attitudes that prevent a united response.
People who think that attacks on farms affect only a small part of our population are wrong. The farming community is an integral part of our economy.
The farming community produces the food we eat. Violent crime on farms represents not only a threat to the safety of our rural communities, but also to the food security of our nation.
The claim that violent crime on farms is part of a campaign orchestrated by black people to drive white farmers off their land is simply not borne out by the facts.
Numerous studies show that crime in farming communities is largely opportunistic. Rural communities are more vulnerable due to their isolated location and, as a result, the relative lack of access to security and other services.
Contrary to the irresponsible claims of some pressure groups, the killings on the farms are not ethnic cleansing. They are not genocidal. They are criminal acts and should be treated as such.
The success of our rural security strategy relies on greater coordination and communication between the South African Police Service, businesses, agricultural organizations and communities.
There needs to be more collaboration between agricultural watchdog organizations and community watchdog forums.
Farm communities, including farm workers, must be actively involved in these forums, because they are the eyes and ears on the ground. Traditional leaders must be trained to play a greater role in security in farming communities.
Farmers must facilitate access to their land for law enforcement officials.
Private security companies operating in agricultural communities must work more closely with the SAPS, while ensuring that arrests of suspects are made within the limits of our Constitution.
We must continue to explore additional measures, such as integrated communications technologies, to increase rural security.
At the same time, we need to invest in rural development and address the serious inequality that persists in farming communities.
We need a coordinated effort to improve the quality of life for all people living in rural areas if we are to eliminate poverty, which is a major contributor to crime.
It would be naive to suppose that race relations in farming communities have been harmonious since the advent of democracy.
Unless this is addressed openly and honestly, unless we are willing to engage in dialogue, it will remain a festering wound that threatens social cohesion.
What happened in Senekal shows how easily the tinderbox of racial hatred can be ignited. As a nation, we must resist any attempt to use crime on farms to mobilize racially motivated communities.
One murder is one murder too many. We stand in solidarity with all victims of crime, regardless of whether they live in cities or on farms, are farmers or agricultural workers.
We must work together to eradicate crime, whether in Senekal or on the streets of Delft. Crime is no one else’s problem; it is our collective problem.
We must remain vigilant and work with the police to keep our communities safe. We must not harbor criminals among us. In too many cases, communities know the perpetrators and they protect them.
We must not allow ourselves to be blinded by our own prejudices to the suffering and pain of others. It shouldn’t matter to us whether the victim of a violent crime is black or white.
To do so would be a betrayal not only of the founding principles of this country, but of our own humanity.
Regards,
Cyril Ramaphosa
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