Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance (DA) expresses our deepest outrage and condemnation over the barbaric attack on 70-year-old Carolina farmer, Rolé Uys, in Mpumalanga.
The cruelty of this assault, where boiling water was poured over Ms Uys before she was chained, gagged and left for dead, defies comprehension.
This incident is yet another reminder of the daily fear faced by farmers and rural residents across South Africa. That Ms Uys had already survived a similar attack only two months ago makes this failure of protection even more appalling.
Farm Attacks and Rural Safety remain a national crisis. Rural South Africans continue to live in fear, often isolated, under-resourced, and too frequently abandoned by those meant to protect them. The lack of adequate policing, security infrastructure, and rapid response mechanisms leaves communities vulnerable to criminals who operate with impunity. Government must urgently prioritise the safety of all rural areas, not just farms.
The DA again urges the Minister of Police to declare farm attacks, farm murders, and livestock theft priority crimes. Each new attack tears at the fabric of rural communities and undermines the country’s food security.
The DA will continue to fight for the protection of those who live and work in our rural areas . The criminals who committed this monstrous act must face the full weight of the law.
Regards
Willie Aucamp MP
DA Spokesperson on Agriculture