South Africa’s Agriculture Minister wants the government to declare farm attacks a priority crime

Minister of Agriculture, Willie Aucamp, said that declaring farm attacks a priority crime will help to improve the safety of farmers and farm workers.

Aucamp shared his views on the topic in response to a Parliamentary question from National Assembly member Désirée Van Der Walt.

On 2 September 2026, he called for farm attacks targeting farmers and farm workers to be declared priority crimes.

Van Der Walt asked him how such a declaration would help to ensure that the crime receives the appropriate level of attention.

He explained that declaring farm attacks as priority crimes would facilitate the allocation of additional, dedicated law enforcement resources.

“It will strengthen crime prevention efforts and enhance coordination of responses to incidents in rural communities,” he said.

He said that, in this regard, the Department of Agriculture continues to engage with the South African Police Service (SAPS).

This aims to ensure that crimes affecting the agricultural sector receive the appropriate level of attention and intervention.

One of the key forums through which this engagement takes place is the Rapid Response on Rural Safety Strategy.

The strategy serves as a coordinated mechanism to address safety and security challenges in rural areas.

It promotes information sharing, monitors crime trends, and develops targeted interventions to combat farm-related crimes.

The Department also advocates strengthened collaboration between government departments, law enforcement agencies, organised agriculture, and rural stakeholders.

Farm attacks continue to be a problem in South Africa

Aucamp provided statistics which showed that farm attacks across South Africa remain a significant problem.

He cited the monthly distribution of farm attacks, farm murders and farm murder incidents that were recorded in 2025.

September 2025 had the most farm attacks at 25, and the murder-incident-to-attack ratio shows July 2025 was the deadliest, with a murder ratio of 43%.

There was some positive news. The number of reported farm attacks decreased in 2025, and farm murders fell from 37 in 2024 to 29 in 2025.

However, he warned that there were gaps as these statistics don’t take many factors into consideration.

Many people have pointed out that private initiatives, like rural safety programs run by AfriForum, were behind the decline in farm attacks.

However, AfriForum said that it needed assistance from the government and the South African Police Service for a national programme.

United States Ambassador to South Africa, Leo Brent Bozell III, also called for rural crime to be designated a priority crime, with a real, announced plan to address it. 

“We suggested there were already several plans available, including one designed by the government itself,” he said.

“We stated that this plan should be fully resourced.  The United States even offered technical and financial support, if it would help.”

However, the South African government refused to declare farm attacks as a priority crime to make this happen.