AfriForum requests G20 countries’ support to protect property rights and fight farm murders

The civil rights organisation AfriForum has called on the G20 countries to request, during diplomatic discussions with the South African government during the G20 summit and afterwards, that property rights in South Africa be respected and that effective action be taken to combat farm murders. The organisation has written to the embassies of the G20 countries and also presented solutions to these problems.

According to Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, farm murders and the disrespect for property rights in South Africa have already had a direct negative impact on the upcoming G20 summit, as the US has decided to boycott the summit due to these issues. Kriel points out that the G20 countries can play a constructive role in stabilising not only local relations in South Africa, but also international relations by pledging their support for efforts to find solutions to protect property rights and combat farm murders.

“It is in the G20 countries’ own interest that property rights in South Africa are protected, as the disregard for property rights could jeopardise investment from their countries in South Africa and deter future investors. The disregard for property rights in places like Zimbabwe and Venezuela has caused great suffering for the ordinary people of those countries. Hyperinflation, unemployment and growing poverty have followed,” says Kriel.

According to Kriel, out of loyalty to South Africa and all people in the country, AfriForum is conducting a campaign to convince the South African government that expropriation without compensation, as contained in the Expropriation Act, will have catastrophic consequences for everyone in the country.

Some of the solutions that AfriForum proposes for farm murders and the protection of property rights are as follows:

Farm murders

• President Cyril Ramaphosa should be urged to unconditionally condemn the “Kill the Boer” chant, which is a call for ethnic violence against Afrikaners.
• The South African government must at least acknowledge the fact that farm murders are accompanied by excessive torture and violence.
• Farm murders should be declared a priority crime, as is already the case with many other crimes — even rhino poaching is a priority crime.
• The government must decide that the South African Police Service must officially and in a planned manner collaborate with farm and neighbourhood watches in South Africa, which operate within the framework of the law.

Expropriation Act

• The South African government must commit itself to protecting property rights.
• Section 12(3) of the Expropriation Act, which allows for expropriation without compensation, must be scrapped.
• Section 19(2) of the Expropriation Act, which allows expropriation to take place before there is a final decision in the courts, must be amended.

AfriForum will also launch a report in the coming week regarding the violation of minorities’ human rights in South Africa.