The continuing scourge of criminal attacks in farming communities is causing serious damage and uncertainty in the agricultural sector, which may affect jobs, economic growth and food security, according to the Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries. In May, Police Minister Bheki Cele released figures on farm attacks and murders dating back to 2012, which showed that while attacks had increased, the number of murders reported had fallen year on year. The subject of farm attacks has become one of the most emotive and politically polarising issues in SA in recent times. This was intensified when Australian cabinet minister Peter Dutton sparked a diplomatic row with SA when he said he believed white South African farmers deserved "special attention" because they faced violence and land seizures. Speaking at a summit in Pretoria on farm killings, murders and stock theft, Department of Agriculture‚ Forestry and Fisheries director-general Mike Mlengana said "this ongoing scourg...
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