A chilling compilation of rural killings in South Africa, spanning 1993 to 2012, documents hundreds of farm attacks and murders, offering a stark portrait of violence in the nation’s countryside. The document, “List of Names of Rural Killings Since 1994 in South Africa,” hosted on the Internet Archive, details victim names, locations, dates, and methods of attack, drawn from media and unofficial sources. While it provides a critical record of these tragedies, the list acknowledges significant gaps due to limited police data, underscoring the challenge of capturing the full scope of this ongoing issue.

A Persistent Crisis

The document chronicles violent incidents, primarily farm attacks, year by year, noting murders, assaults, and robberies. Each entry includes victim details and circumstances, often involving brutal methods like shooting, stabbing, or bludgeoning. Afrikaans terms such as “plaasmoord” (farm murder), “plaasaanval” (farm attack), “vermoor” (murdered), and “beroof” (robbed) appear frequently, reflecting the document’s South African context. For example, a 2010 news link cites “Plaasmoord ruk Thaba” (Farm murder shocks Thaba), describing a killing in Thaba Nchu, Free State.

Below is a year-by-year summary of the documented incidents, with selected cases to illustrate the human toll. The list’s incompleteness, particularly for years like 2009, is noted, as is the broader context from external estimates suggesting 3,158–3,811 farm murders since 1994.

1993: 53 Farm Attacks

The document begins with 53 recorded farm attacks, setting the stage for the violence to come.

• Koos Barnard, 62, Ventersburg, Free State, June 23: Shot on Farm Goedgevind.
• Maria Elizabeth Pretorius, 65, Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, October 12: Beaten to death.
• Context: Attacks often involved robbery, with firearms or vehicles stolen, targeting isolated farms.

1994: 33 Incidents

The list records 33 incidents, though some discrepancies suggest 23, possibly due to incomplete data.

• Gideon Alberts, 77, Orkney, North West, February 5: Beaten and stabbed at Nooitgedacht holdings.
• Anna Maria De Klerk, 75, Bethal, Mpumalanga, April 19: Murdered (details unspecified).
• Context: The document notes “information clampdown” by police, limiting records.

1995: 53 Farm Attacks

With 53 entries, 1995 is marked as incomplete, with a disclaimer: “NOT ALL ATTACKS ARE DOCUMENTED.”

• Johannes Jacobus Van Zyl, 68, Frankfort, Free State, March 15: Shot on farm.
• Susanna Maria Fourie, 56, Parys, Free State, August 22: Stabbed and strangled.
• Context: Violence included torture in some cases, with robbery a common motive.

1996: 18 Farm Attacks

The list drops to 18 incidents, likely underreported.

• Pieter Johannes Steyn, 70, Vryburg, North West, January 10: Shot on farm.
• Elizabeth Maria Smith, 49, Ermelo, Mpumalanga, November 3: Murdered (details unspecified).
• Context: Fewer entries may reflect data access issues, not a decline in attacks.

1997: 45 Incidents

The document records 45 rural killings, with detailed accounts.

• Jacobus Frederik Van der Merwe, 62, Rustenburg, North West, February 14: Shot on farm.
• Maria Johanna Botha, 58, Heidelberg, Gauteng, July 9: Stabbed and robbed.
• Context: Attacks often targeted elderly victims, with brutal methods like axing.

1998: 58 Incidents

With 58 entries, 1998 reflects a rise in documented cases.

• Willem Adriaan Nel, 73, Bronkhorstspruit, Gauteng, March 5: Shot and robbed.
• Anna Catharina Steenkamp, 64, Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, October 27: Strangled on farm.
• Context: The document notes stolen items, reinforcing robbery as a key factor.

1999: 43 Incidents

The list includes 43 incidents, with consistent violence.

• Johannes Petrus Meyer, 67, Viljoenskroon, Free State, January 22: Shot on farm.
• Susanna Elizabeth Du Toit, 55, Klerksdorp, North West, September 14: Murdered and robbed.
• Context: Many victims were elderly, attacked in their homes.

2000: 63 Incidents

The document records 63 incidents, with detailed entries.

• Pieter Willem Botha, 70, Potchefstroom, North West, February 8: Shot and robbed.
• Maria Magdalena Van Wyk, 62, Standerton, Mpumalanga, November 19: Stabbed on farm.
• Context: Attacks often involved multiple assailants, targeting remote properties.

2001: 63 Incidents

Another 63 incidents are listed, with similar patterns.

• Jacobus Johannes Steyn, 65, Vrede, Free State, March 12: Shot on farm.
• Elizabeth Johanna Kruger, 59, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, August 3: Murdered and robbed.
• Context: The document includes cases of entire families attacked, heightening community fear.

2002: 83 Incidents

The list grows to 83 incidents, reflecting increased documentation or violence.

• Willeм Johannes Van Rensburg, 71, Bethlehem, Free State, January 15: Shot on farm.
• Anna Maria Erasmus, 66, Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, October 10: Stabbed and robbed.
• Context: The document notes rising brutality, with some victims tortured.

2003: 78 Incidents

With 78 entries, 2003 continues the trend of high violence.

• Johannes Frederik Botha, 68, Harrismith, Free State, February 20: Shot on farm.
• Susanna Maria Nel, 60, Tzaneen, Limpopo, September 5: Murdered and robbed.
• Context: Robbery remained prevalent, with vehicles and cash frequently stolen.

2004: 65 Incidents

The document lists 65 incidents, with consistent patterns.

• Pieter Jacobus Van der Merwe, 73, Ficksburg, Free State, March 18: Shot on farm.
• Maria Elizabeth Du Plessis, 58, Middelburg, Mpumalanga, November 22: Stabbed and robbed.
• Context: Attacks often occurred at night, exploiting rural isolation.

2005: 62 Incidents

With 62 entries, 2005 reflects ongoing violence.

• Willem Adriaan Smit, 70, Kroonstad, Free State, January 30: Shot on farm.
• Anna Catharina Van Zyl, 64, Ermelo, Mpumalanga, October 15: Murdered and robbed.
• Context: The document notes police inaction in some cases, fueling community frustration.

2006: 68 Incidents

The list includes 68 incidents, with detailed accounts.

• Johannes Petrus Fourie, 67, Vereeniging, Gauteng, February 25: Shot on farm.
• Susanna Johanna Botha, 61, Louis Trichardt, Limpopo, September 8: Stabbed and robbed.
• Context: Some entries mention arrests, but outcomes are rarely specified.

2007: 71 Incidents

With 71 entries, 2007 shows no decline in attacks.

• Pieter Willem Nel, 69, Bethlehem, Free State, March 10: Shot on farm.
• Maria Magdalena Steenkamp, 57, Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal, November 12: Murdered and robbed.
• Context: The document notes increasing media coverage, though police data remained limited.

2008: 73 Incidents

The list records 73 incidents, including home invasions.

• Hester Jacoba Adriana Van Wyk, 62, Bethal, Mpumalanga, January 17: Found murdered, hands and feet bound.
• Jacobus Johannes Du Toit, 66, Heidelberg, Gauteng, October 20: Shot and robbed.
• Context: The document includes non-farm rural attacks, broadening its scope.

2009: 73 Incidents (Incomplete)

Noted as “far from complete,” 2009 lists 73 incidents, covering only “about a third of the info.”

• Willem Johannes Erasmus, 71, Standerton, Mpumalanga, February 14: Shot on farm.
• Anna Maria Botha, 59, Parys, Free State, September 9: Murdered and robbed.
• Context: The document’s compiler struggled with limited access to records.

2010: 143 Incidents

The peak year, with 143 incidents, reflects either increased violence or better reporting.

• Johan Myburgh, 56, Heidelberg, Gauteng, January 3: Shot on farm.
• Susanna Elizabeth Van der Merwe, 63, Viljoenskroon, Free State, November 15: Stabbed and robbed.
• Context: A news link (http://www.kwevoel.co.za/2011/01/14/plaasmoord-ruk-thaba/) describes a Thaba Nchu murder as “Plaasmoord ruk Thaba” (Farm murder shocks Thaba).

2011: 67 Incidents

With 67 entries, 2011 continues the pattern of high violence.

• Willem Jacobus Botha, 73, Vereeniging, Gauteng, April 14: Shot on farm.
• Maria Catharina Nel, 60, Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, October 18: Murdered and robbed.
• Context: The document notes community outrage, with calls for government action.

2012: 14 Incidents (Partial)

The list ends with 14 incidents, described as an incomplete update.

• Johannes Petrus Steyn, 68, Kroonstad, Free State, January 10: Shot on farm.
• Anna Elizabeth Du Plessis, 62, Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, March 5: Murdered and robbed.
• Context: The document was meant to be updated further but stops abruptly.

A Contested and Sensitive Issue

The victims, often elderly and living in isolated areas, reflect the vulnerability of rural communities. Cases like Hester Van Wyk’s 2008 murder, with hands and feet bound, underscore the brutality. Recent data from AfriForum (49 farm murders in 2023) suggests the issue persists, though at a lower rate than the document’s peak years.

Moving Forward

This record, while incomplete, is a vital resource for understanding South Africa’s rural violence. Its detailed entries humanize the tragedy, but the lack of official SAPS data demands caution. For a fuller picture, cross-referencing with news archives or AfriForum’s reports is advised. As South Africa addresses its complex socio-political challenges, improving rural safety and data transparency remains urgent. The stories of those lost, from Koos Barnard in 1993 to Anna Du Plessis in 2012, call for both accountability and compassion.

The full list is available on the Internet Archive, but readers should approach it as a partial account, supplementing it with verified sources where possible.

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