Farmers Union Calls for Livestock Protection After Death of Mbongeni Sikhakhane

• The National Farmers Union of South Africa condemned the murder of the African Farmers Association of South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal chairperson, Mbongeni Sikhakhane
• Sikhakhane was gunned down in his home in Pietermaritzburg before Christmas, allegedly in front of his family members
• NAFU-SA president, Motsepe Matlala, called on the government to intensify efforts to protect farmers and their livestock from crime

Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, covered a range of criminal activities, including cash-in-transit heists, kidnappings, taxi violence, shootings, police investigations, police shootouts, and court cases at Daily Sun for over three years.

PRETORIA, GAUTENG — The National Farmers Union of South Africa (NAFU-SA) has called on the government to protect livestock and farmers after the brutal murder of African Farmers Association of South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal chairperson, Mbongeni Sikhakhane.

NAFU-SA president Motsepe Matlala said in a statement released on 29 December 2025 that the killing of Sikhakhane was not isolated. He said it forms part of an escalating pattern of violent crime affecting farmers from every racial group. He called on the government and private sector to stand together to confront crime on farms.

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NAFU-SA calls for action

Matlala said that the government must immediately strengthen farm and rural safety measures with adequate resources, intelligence-led policing, especially in high-risk agricultural areas. He also said stock theft must be investigated and placed as an urgent priority. Matlala called for the police to dismantle syndicates that operate nationally and internationally.

Matlala also called for direct accountability and action from the police leadership in collaboration with the Department of Justice and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). Farmers, communities, and law enforcement agencies must also collaborate to fight crime against farmers.

"We further state, with due acknowledgement of constitutional sensitivities, that the scale and brutality of violent crime in South Africa demand urgent national debate on whether current deterrents are sufficient. Parliament, the Executive, and the Judiciary cannot continue to ignore the rising costs of violent criminality on society, rural communities, and food producers.

Farm murders not racially-motivated: Matlala

Matlala said NAFU-SA rejected attempts to racialise and politicise farm murders. Matlala shared similar sentiments to South African farmers who debated whether farm attacks were racially-motivated. He said that black and white farmers alike are being killed. He slammed narratives that seek to divide farmers along racial lines.

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"At this moment of grief, South Africa's farmers must choose unity over division. Developing and established farmers, organised agriculture, communities, and the private sector must stand together with the government and law enforcement agencies to confront crime on farms decisively," he said.

AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel slams Sikhakhane murder

In a related article, Briefly News reported that AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel weighed in on Sikhakhane's murder. Kriel condemned the incident.

Kriel shared a tweet on X about the murder. He called on the authorities to prioritise rural crimes and farm murders, yet South Africans slammed him.

Source: Briefly News