Farm attacks are a serious crime problem requiring dedicated law enforcement attention, but they do not amount to genocide. They represent a small part of violent crime overall in South Africa and their patterns are consistent with criminal rather than political motives. Recent statistics show a decline in violent farm crime. Effective rural safety solutions include stronger policing, community cooperation and tackling the root causes of South Africa’s broader crime challenges.
About the authors
Gareth Newham is the Head of the ISS Justice and Violence Prevention Programme and Lizette Lancaster is the Manager of the ISS Crime and Justice Information and Analysis Hub (crimehub.org).
