The most horrific murders of yet more farmers have been in the media spotlight over the past few weeks. The most noteworthy of these brutal murders is that of the 21-year-old farmer, Brendin Horner on the 1st October 2020. Brendin, who was a farm foreman on a farm in Paul Roux in the Free State, was ambushed and strangled then tied to a steel post with a rope around his neck. Brendin was also stabbed in the face, tortured, and then killed.
Tragically, within days of the horrendous murder of Brendin Horner, another Framer, aged 28, namely Raymond Papabavlou was murdered on a farm in the Rooikraal region in the Limpopo Province. Raymond was asleep in bed, when he was shot 5 times by his assailants. He was pronounced dead at the scene. It is unlikely that the murder was an attempted robbery as there was no sign that anything had been stolen from the house. Whilst this matter has been investigated no arrests have been made.
On the 6th October 2020, in a turn of events, farmers and their families from throughout South Africa went to support the parents of Brendin Horner at the Senekal Court in the Free State as the two suspected murderers of Brendin Horner appeared in Court.
For many years farmers and their lobby groups have claimed that the Police have failed to act, or to provide support, on violent attacks and murders of farmers in rural areas. The reality is that farm murders are on the rise, yet very little is being done by the government, politicians and the police to combat the ongoing heinous acts of rape, torture and murder.
Farmers are fed up, and they are tired of being sitting targets. If nothing is going to be done to protect our farmers, and those most susceptible to crimes of violence and murder, then the government, politicians and the police cannot not be surprised when members of these farming communities decide to exercise their basic human right to defend themselves.
Enough is now enough! A long term solution is desperately needed to protect not only farmers, but their workers from ongoing senseless attacks and murders.
Author – Kate Bailey – Hill
