On average, some 6,32 farm attacks have been recorded per week in South Africa over the period 2019 to 2025, according to research. Mike Bolhuis of Specialised Security Services (SSS) says farm attacks are not just a rural security problem, but affect farmers, farm workers, their families and surrounding communities. He calls for rural safety, police response and the successful investigation and prosecution of these crimes to receive greater attention.
Bolhuis says farm attacks can include armed robbery, assault, house breaking, threats and theft of firearms, vehicles, livestock and other property. In serious cases, victims can be murdered or kidnapped. He warns, however, that the circumstances and possible motives of each incident must be investigated separately.
According to him, the distance from police stations, difficult terrain and limited resources can affect response times in rural areas. He believes the public must demand answers about available police officers and detectives, response times, arrests, convictions and the resources allocated to rural safety.
Bolhuis stresses that rural safety requires cooperation between the police, farmers, farm workers, private security companies, community safety structures, emergency services, the prosecution authority and government. He encourages communities to report suspected activity to the appropriate authorities and not to confront potentially dangerous suspects themselves.
He says the public must insist on reliable statistics, thorough investigations, effective policing, successful prosecutions and support for victims.
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This article is an automatic English translation of a Nuusflits article originally published in Afrikaans. Read the Afrikaans original.
