AfriForum Demands Firoz Cachalia Act on Farm Attacks After Donovan Marx Assault
- A farmer named Donovan Marx was tortured and shot during a farm attack in North West Province on 28 October 2026
- AfriForum wrote a formal letter to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia demanding concrete action against farm attacks
- AfriForum's chief safety spokesperson warned the government can no longer respond to rural violence with words alone
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Source: Getty Images
NORTH WEST — Civil rights organisation AfriForum has issued a formal demand to Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia, calling for urgent and targeted action against farm attacks following the assault on farmer Donovan Marx in North West province on 28 October 2026.
Marx was severely assaulted during the attack. He was shot, according to information shared by AfriForum. A farm worker who was tied up by the attackers managed to free himself after the perpetrators fled the scene in Marx's bakkie.
AfriForum's letter to Cachalia
In a letter addressed to Cachalia, AfriForum called on the South African Police Service and political leadership responsible for policing to demonstrate through concrete steps that violent crimes against farmers and rural residents are being treated with the seriousness they deserve.
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Jacques Broodryk, AfriForum's chief spokesperson for Community Safety, said the attack on Marx cannot go unanswered. "The attack on Donovan demands an urgent response and raises serious questions as to whether the government truly understands the threat that rural communities face daily," Broodryk said.
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He argued that no justification exists for treating farm attacks differently from other forms of organised and violent crime that already benefit from specialised policing strategies.
"We need targeted policing, sufficient resources, and formal cooperation between the SAPS and community safety structures. AfriForum will continue to demand accountability and push for practical measures that provide better protection for rural communities," Broodryk said.
AfriForum rejects 'words without action'
AfriForum made clear it would not accept a response consisting solely of public statements. "AfriForum will not accept that brutal attacks on farmers and rural residents are met merely with words. We demand decisive action from the police and political leadership to address farm attacks with the urgency and seriousness that they require," Broodryk concluded.
The organisation published its statement alongside an image of white memorial crosses on a hillside, accompanied by the question: "How many more farmers?"
AfriForum CEO unhappy with President’s statement
Briefly News reported that AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel has criticised President Cyril Ramaphosa over his recent remarks about South Africans who were seeking refuge in the US.
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Source: Briefly News
