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ANC statement on the murder of a farmworker in the Eastern Transvaal

Issued by the Department of Information and Publicity
6 July 1995

The ANC applauds Eastern Transvaal MEC of Safety and Security Steve Mabona for the speedy arrest of the Eastern Transvaal farmer who had allegedly beaten a farmworker to death on the basis of laziness.

The ANC expresses its outrage at the developing trend of tiny minority section of white farmers who seem to be taking the law into their own hands. Only this week, the media had exposed an inadequate sentence meted out to a Vanderbijlpark farmer who had shot and killed a 10 year old boy for allegedly starting a veld fire.

The ANC joins our people in expressing its condemnation against the light sentence which the farmer received. The sentence can only help undermine the confidence of our people, particularly farmworkers, in the integrity of the judiciary. All sector of our society, including the judiciary, have a responsibility to ensure that such a situation does not develop.

The current judiciary consists of men and women of integrity and it is important that in dealing with such matters they mete out sentences that not only befit the crime but will also inspire the confidence of our people in the judicial system.

The Eastern Transvaal case will once more sharply focus on the attitude of the judiciary towards serious crimes being committed against farmworkers by a section of white farmers.

Conditions of employment of farmworker remains a matter of serious concern for the ANC and must be addressed as a matter of urgency. In this context the ANC welcomes and encourages current steps being undertaken by Minister Derek Hanekom to address the plight of farmworkers.

Issued by the Department of Information and Publicity
P.O. Box 61884
Marshalltown
2107
6 July 1995