Campaign launched to have farm murders classed as ‘hate crimes’

The DA has confirmed they are lobbying to hold an urgent debate on farm murders, after a spate of gruesome crimes were reported during lockdown. The hot-button issue has proved to be divisive over the years, but veteran MP Dianne Kohler Barnard has firmly taken a stand on behalf of rural communities – and says that these attacks should be reclassified as ‘hate crimes‘.

Can farm murders be classed as hate crimes?

Any crime that is motivated by prejudice – with motivations including someone’s faith, gender or even race – fits a broad definition of a hate crime. However, various studies have shown that a large number of farm murders aren’t merely based on race. It’s a tricky balance to strike, but Kohler Barnard says the party will take this campaign all the way to Parliament.

“There has been a significant upsurge in the number of reported incidents of farm attacks since the start of the lockdown. These attacks have been particularly heinous in nature with brutal torture being commonplace in rural attacks. The ANC has decided to take a denialist approach to these crimes.”

“Hate crimes are defined based on two factors. The first is that the act is considered a crime under existing South African criminal law. The second is motivated in whole or in part by prejudice or hatred regarding an aspect of the victims’ identity.”

“Hate crimes are not simply crimes committed against vulnerable groups, hate crimes are in fact crimes committed against individuals because of prejudice that the perpetrator holds against an entire group of people, but directed at an available victim.”

Dianne Kohler Barnard

Rural safety interventions proposed

The DA also made several requests to change the way rural policing is handled, in the hope of reducing farm murders in the future. Research from AfriForum suggests 552 farms were attacked in 2019, resulting in 57 deaths, and these are the interventions that the opposition has proposed:

• Create a watching brief: Councillors will track investigations and court proceedings related to all farm attack cases 
• Increase research: The DA requested a new study on rural security, to investigate the ‘unique brutality’ of these crimes.
• Provide oversight on farm patrols: Agricultural Unions will be assisted in organising these events.
• More police involvement: SAPS will be asked to run regular outreach Community Awareness days in at-risk areas.
• Recategorise farm attacks: All events should be treated as a separate crime category and regarded as a priority.
• Oppose land expropriation and land occupation: Both, according to Kohler-Barnard, are ‘threats to property rights’
• Shore-up border security and crime intelligence in rural areas: Home Affairs will be asked to create a larger criminal database.