Recent independent data from the Rural Safety Statistics Group SA shows that farm attacks have increased sharply in 2025, with 143 incidents recorded between January and October compared to 121 during the same period in 2024. This represents an average of 14.3 attacks per month, up from 12.1 last year, Saai said.

Gauteng remains the hardest hit with 32% of all farm attacks, followed by Mpumalanga (15%) and North West (13%), which together account for 60% of incidents nationwide. Limpopo (11%) and the Western Cape (10%) follow close behind.

Farm murders have shown a slight decrease with 16 murders in 2025 compared to 19 in 2024, representing 11% of all farm attacks. Gauteng again records the highest percentage with 31% of murders, followed by the Free State and Eastern Cape at 19% each.

“This delay is more than just an administrative issue. Every day without reliable data is a day where rural communities are forced to plan blind. When farmers don’t know what’s happening in their areas, it becomes nearly impossible to take preventative action or coordinate effectively with local police. The lack of timely information clearly shows that rural safety is not a government priority,” said Leon Lourens, Development Coordinator at Saai.

The SAPS’s failure to release timely crime data weakens Parliament’s oversight role and creates the perception that rural safety simply isn’t on the government’s agenda. The lack of accurate data makes it even harder to allocate resources effectively and respond to areas most at risk, Saai said.

Saai calls on Acting Minister of Police, Professor Firoz Cachalia, and the National Commissioner of SAPS to immediately release the outstanding crime statistics, provide the public with a full explanation for the delay, and ensure that a consistent and transparent release schedule is maintained in future.

As part of its broader mandate to protect family farmers, the organisation continues to work together with community policing forums, farm watches and local rural structures to strengthen safety across the country. These efforts, however, can only succeed if the Government provides reliable and timely information.

Transparency and accountability are non-negotiable. They are the foundation of public trust and national stability. Until SAPS consistently releases credible crime information, South Africans and especially those in rural areas will continue to question whether their safety truly matters, Saai concluded.

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This follows two previous written requests and two formal media statements by the DA calling on the Acting Minister to urgently release the data. Despite repeated promises, there has still been no clarity or accountability from the Ministry or SAPS on why the first quarter crime statistics have not been made public, Lisa Schickerling, DA Spokesperson on Police said on 30 October.

“We are now on the eve of the release of the second quarter crime statistics, yet the first quarter figures remain hidden from the public. This deliberate withholding of crime data is unacceptable and undermines transparency, accountability, and the public’s right to know the true state of safety in our country,” she said.

Crime statistics are not the property of the SAPS or the Minister, they belong to the people of South Africa. They are a critical tool for measuring performance, identifying crime trends, and ensuring that police resources are allocated where they are needed most.

The delay raises serious concerns about possible interference, dysfunction, or manipulation within SAPS management structures. It also highlights the ongoing leadership crisis in the Police Ministry, which continues to fail in its most basic mandate to keep South Africans safe and informed, Schickerling said.

The DA demands:

1. The immediate release of the first quarter crime statistics without any further delay or excuse;

2. A full and transparent explanation from the Acting Minister of Police on the reasons for the delay and those responsible; and

3. A firm commitment that all future quarterly crime statistics will be published on time and without political interference.

If the SAPS and the Acting Minister continue to withhold this information, the DA said it will pursue all available legal and parliamentary remedies to ensure accountability.

“South Africans have a right to the truth. Concealing crime data erodes public trust, weakens parliamentary oversight, and leaves communities in the dark at a time when violent crime continues to spiral out of control. The DA will not rest until transparency and accountability are restored within the South African Police Service,” Schickerling concluded.

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