On May 21, 2025, South Africa’s Portfolio Committees on Police and Agriculture convened a heated joint hearing that laid bare the political, social, and operational complexities of rural crime, particularly the contentious issue of farm killings. The session, aimed at reviewing the petition report on violence in rural areas and receiving updates on state capture investigations, exposed deep ideological rifts and underscored the scale of institutional dysfunction.

On 21 May 2025, South Africa’s Portfolio Committees on Police and Agriculture held a joint sitting to examine the country’s rural safety crisis, with a focus on the controversial issue of farm killings. The hearing, which also included a progress update on the state capture investigations, exposed sharp political and ideological divisions, while revealing persistent institutional failings in safeguarding rural communities.

Farm Attacks: Unique Crisis or Politicised Myth?

The central issue was the consideration of a petition report on farm murders. Some members, such as Democratic Alliance (DA) Member of Parliament (MP) Lisa Shickerling, argued strongly that these attacks exhibit distinct characteristics and require specialised responses. She emphasised “the extreme brutality of these murders” and noted that they are “meticulously planned” and sometimes even “romanticised by political rhetoric” — a trend she said creates “a climate in which violence against farmers and farm workers is encouraged.”

One member stressed that attacks affect people of all races, not just white landowners. He proposed that “SAPS must better support community safety structures in rural areas,” including partnerships with farm and neighbourhood watch groups.

Others, however, pushed back against what they saw as a skewed narrative. African National Congress (ANC) MP Mogodu Moela warned that highlighting farm murders in isolation sends “a very wrong message and a wrong perception.” He urged MPs not to “paint a picture that farmers are being massacred,” insisting this misrepresents South Africa’s broader crime context. This sentiment was echoed by Deputy Minister Bushyelo, who stated unequivocally: “There is no genocide. All of us know what genocide is.”

Call for Inclusive and Precise Language

The committee wrestled with the semantics of the report. Several members called for the term “farm killings” to be replaced or complemented with “rural safety” to reflect the broader spectrum of victims and geographical realities. ANC MP Mothusi Montwedi argued that using the word “farm” disproportionately draws focus to white landowners and could obscure violence experienced by farm workers or residents of rural villages.

He said: “If you want to involve everyone, let it be rural safety, not farm. When you say farm, you are speaking to a certain category of people.”

However, Shickerling objected to completely removing the term “farm” from the discussion, stating: “We have farmers of every race in this country contributing to food sustainability. To claim this committee is only concerned with a certain group is simply untrue.”

Institutional Failings and Resource Gaps

MPs repeatedly criticised the lack of policing capacity in rural areas. Shickerling proposed that “rural safety units on both station and district levels must be formalised,” describing this as a consistent issue during oversight visits.

One member added that SAPS resources are “simply not sufficient,” pointing to the example of mounted units being stationed hundreds of kilometres from crime scenes. He also proposed increased police presence at livestock auctions to deter stock theft, noting that “unbranded or recently branded livestock should not be sold at auction without verification.”

The need for coordinated outreach with traditional leaders was also flagged. MK Party’s Glen Taaibosch called for greater collaboration with “the amakhosi and traditional leadership” in rural safety planning.

State Capture Update: Slow Progress, Limited Results

The hearing also included a presentation by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI) on the status of investigations stemming from the Zondo Commission on State Capture. The figures were sobering:

• Only seven matters currently before the courts.

• Nineteen recommendations under active investigation by the Hawks.

• 38 total arrests, including 29 individuals and 9 companies.

• 2,861 statements gathered.

However, committee members expressed serious dissatisfaction with the scope and pace of prosecutions. Rise Mzansi MP Makashule Gana asked bluntly: “Is this it?” He went on to describe the convicted as “runners” rather than “masterminds,” warning that the data “is not encouraging at all.”

Later, Gana proposed scheduled quarterly joint meetings to ensure “continued oversight and to develop a common understanding.” He also stressed that members of Parliament “need to ensure that facts and reality are presented and defended rather than stoke emotions around the safety on farms and rural communities.”

Despite the tension, a rare point of consensus emerged: the need for depoliticized, evidence-driven oversight. MPs proposed quarterly joint sessions to monitor rural crime and farm safety, better disaggregated crime statistics, and an outreach campaign involving traditional leaders and rural communities.

The Committees adopted the report, with amendments, and pledged continued collaboration. The hearing made clear that South Africa’s rural violence and corruption challenges are tangled in political sensitivities, operational constraints, and public perception battles. With the contentious nature of the issue rising to the centre of a conversation in the White House between President Cyril Ramaphosa and President Donald Trump, the world is now watching.