Free State Farm Murder Prompts Urgent Call for Rural Safety Units

After another “senseless killing of a farmer” over the weekend, the DA has reiterated is repeated call to establish specialised rural safety units within the South African Police Service (SAPS).

DA Free State Leader Patricia Kopane has pledged to write to the Acting Provincial Police Commissioner, Major-General Tholi Afonso, reiterating the call after the murder of Dirk Steenkamp (71), a prominent farmer in the Vredefort-district in the Northern Free State… on his farm yesterday morning.

According to reports in local media, there had been at least six previous attempts to murder Steenkamp. He was allegedly shot in an ‘execution’ style murder on his farm, by a gang of armed men.

Steenkamp had played an active role in the Vredefort community, apparently always willing and ready to assist wherever he could.

Kopane said: “The DA extends our heartfelt condolences to the Steenkamp family, our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time.

“The DA further calls on the SAPS to make all resources at their disposal available to track down and arrest the perpetrators of this horrific attack.

“Free State rural communities – farmers as well as farm workers – are increasingly at risk as the SAPS have limited personnel and resources to prevent violent crime in secluded rural areas.”

She also called on leaders of society to “condemn attacks such as these and refrain from using inflammatory language that may incite violence, especially during the debates surrounding land and land reform.

“What is needed is sober leadership to deal with the issues around rural safety as well as land and not populist rhetoric that could fuel conflict and violence,” said Kopane.