South Africa's Police Department Investigates Allegations of Underreported Farm Murders

In a recent development that marks a significant moment in South Africa's debate over farm safety and crime statistics, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu announced that the police department has initiated a thorough investigation into the alleged farm murders submitted by AfriForum, a prominent civil rights organization in the country.

The announcement came shortly after Mchunu released crime statistics indicating a general decrease in national crime rates, including a report of only one farm murder during the months of October through December 2024. However, AfriForum has contested these figures, presenting evidence of eight confirmed farm murders within the same period. This discrepancy has raised serious concerns about the accuracy of the crime data shared by the South African Police Service (SAPS).

I give you the president of South Africa. (PS... NOT my president)
He refuse to condemn farm murders.
He rather resort to guilt by association.

This is what he thinks about white people. While the majority of white people voted to END APARTHEID! 👇🏼pic.twitter.com/z4ynyg6JNe

— Heinz (@HeinzZzA) March 2, 2025

AfriForum has criticized the government's figures, accusing the Police Minister of being either misinformed or of deliberately understating the gravity and frequency of farm murders. In response, Mchunu stated, "The ministry of police acknowledges receipt of a list of farm attacks submitted by AfriForum," and admitted that preliminary findings from their investigations corroborate only one of the murders reported by AfriForum.

The police minister further emphasized that the SAPS crime registrar had commenced a detailed verification of the statistics to ensure transparency and accuracy. He reassured the public and stakeholders that the investigation is ongoing, and additional findings will be shared upon completion of the verification process.

Mchunu’s reassurance also extended to an open invitation for collaboration, urging all stakeholders, including civil organizations, to contribute to ensuring that crime statistics are rooted in verifiable facts. He underlined the commitment of SAPS to maintain reliable and credible statistical reporting and promised continued engagement with all interested parties to bolster crime prevention efforts and enhance the trustworthiness of governmental crime reports.

This investigation highlights the ongoing challenges in South Africa regarding the safety of farm owners and the broader issues of crime reporting and transparency. It reflects an important dialogue between the government and civil society on how to best address and document the real threats faced by the farming community.