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“Injustice” as South African Prosecutors Drop Murder Case of 81-Year-Old Farmer, Freeing Suspects
The South African National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has come under fire after deciding to remove the murder case of 81-year-old farmer Hendrik Venter from the court roll, a move that AfriForum, a prominent civil rights organization, has called a “scandalous injustice.” Venter was brutally murdered on his farm in Kuruman in September 2024, and the decision to strike the case from the roll has resulted in the release of the accused pending further investigation.
AfriForum, which advocates for the rights of Afrikaners and has been vocal about farm attacks in South Africa, criticized the NPA and the South African Police Service (SAPS) for what it describes as chronic delays, administrative failures, and a lack of prosecutorial will. According to the organization, the case was marred by procedural shortcomings, including the absence of a Legal Aid South Africa representative for the accused during the hearing. Despite this, the state raised no objections, offered no explanations, and took no steps to ensure the integrity of the proceedings. The magistrate subsequently removed the case from the roll, citing a stagnant investigation as the reason.
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Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum’s Head of Community Safety, expressed deep frustration over the handling of the case. “This is not just an administrative failure—it’s a complete injustice,” Broodryk said. “When a citizen is brutally murdered at his farm gate, and the accused walk free due to prosecutorial passivity and a collapsing forensic system, it must rightly be asked whose side the justice system is on.”
The case has also highlighted significant delays in the processing of forensic evidence, which AfriForum says played a major role in the collapse of the prosecution. The SAPS has faced years-long backlogs in forensic processing, with little progress made to address the issue. AfriForum has repeatedly advocated for the use of private forensic laboratories to expedite the process and reduce delays in criminal cases, but the SAPS has shown no meaningful action, even as serious offenders evade justice.
AfriForum views the Venter case as part of a broader pattern of negligence and political disinterest in farm attacks, which have been a contentious issue in South Africa. Official statistics on farm murders vary, but AfriForum’s data, often cited as a reliable source, reports around 50 farm murders annually. The Transvaal Agricultural Union recorded 293 farm attacks in 2023 alone, underscoring the ongoing violence faced by rural communities. However, the issue remains politically charged, with some, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, rejecting claims of targeted racial violence against white farmers.
The decision to drop the Venter case came despite months of assurances from senior prosecutors that the case would be escalated to a regional court due to its severity. AfriForum argues that this failure sends a bitter message to victims, signaling that their suffering is not a priority. “The Venter family, and the many others who have suffered similar losses, deserve more than empty reassurances. They deserve accountability, urgency, and action,” Broodryk added.
The organization has reached out to the Venter family and their legal representative to investigate the procedural failures that led to this outcome. AfriForum is also calling on government officials and prosecuting authorities to collaborate with civil society and victim representatives to restore public trust in the justice system. “The solution doesn’t lie in silence or bureaucracy, but in transparency, cooperation, and a shared commitment to justice for all,” Broodryk concluded.
The controversy surrounding the Venter case comes amid ongoing debates about farm murders in South Africa, a topic that has drawn international attention.
For now, the Venter family and their supporters are left seeking answers, as AfriForum continues to push for the case to be urgently reinstated and for justice to be served.
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