In a recent significant victory for South Africa’s fight against farm murders, three men have been sentenced to life imprisonment by the Limpopo Division of the High Court for the murder of a Roedtan farmer in 2022 – a case that gripped the country and the world.
The trio, Malesela Albert Mangena (33), Velly Segwale (44), and Lesiba Solly Segwale (44), were convicted of brutally murdering Mr. Nicky Janse Van Rensburg, the owner of Derderkraal farm outside Roedtan, in a violent and planned assault that had left a community traumatized and left the farming community living in fear. Their sentencing – a range of counts from conspiracy to commit murder to unlawful possession of firearms and aggravated robbery – is likewise being thought of as a milestone in holding farm attackers accountable.
The court sentenced life for murder and aggravated robbery, and 10 – 15 years for all other charges. All the sentences run concurrently. The three men have also been banned from possession of firearms.
Warming up to the sentence, Limpopo Provincial Police Commissioner, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, said:
“This sentence will serve as a deterrent to those who contemplate criminal activity, especially those who live in target-rich environments such as our rural areas. We trust and hope that this sentence will bring closure to the victim’s family. It is also a testament to the diligence and commitment of our detectives, especially Sergeant Mooka and his team.”
Farm murder statistics paint grim picture
Based on AfriForum’s 2024 Farm Attack Report, there were 333 farm attacks and 55 farm murders in South Africa in 2024 alone – a mere drop from the 63 murders that were recorded in 2023, but still very alarming. Limpopo Province, where the Van Rensburg murder took place, was responsible for more than 14% of these incidents, making it one of the provinces most plagued by this scourge.
The Transvaal Agricultural Union of South Africa (TAU SA) reports that more than 1,800 farm-related murders have occurred over the past two decades, with many attacks marked by extreme violence. While some analysts argue that these crimes reflect broader rural insecurity, farming communities regardless of race – have consistently called for stronger protection and policy intervention.
A reaffirmed and targeted commitment by SAPS and government
The convictions of Van Rensburg’s killers for their guilty verdicts are not only being framed as an individual courtroom success but as part of a broader government strategic shift toward the prosecution of violent rural crime. Among the drivers of this increased focus are Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who in recent months has stepped up his assertions on rural safety as a national priority for policing.
In an earlier media briefing, Minister Mchunu acknowledged the historic under-resourcing of rural communities and urged “a decisive and intelligent policing strategy” to protect farmers and rural dwellers from what he termed “systematic and targeted criminality”.
“It is not acceptable that the people who provide sustenance for this country have to live in fear,” Mchunu said during a Rural Safety Imbizo in Mpumalanga in March 2025.
“We are faced with a trend of rural violence that must be broken, dismantled, and defeated – and we are now moving from rhetoric to action.”
In line with this, Mchunu made a multi-pronged proposal to make rural policing more modern and increase visibility in rural agricultural communities. This includes establishment of new Rural Safety Units whose specific function is to protect outlying farms and farm employees; Drone and CCTV monitoring connected to neighborhood policing stations to protect wide, exposed agricultural routes; Requirement for SAPS to partner with community safety forums and private farm watches, boosting intelligence gathering and rapid response and involvement and deployment of 1,500 trained rural safety officers by 2025 end, focusing on firearm competence, local knowledge, and multilingual skills.
Addressing Parliament during his 2025 Budget Vote Speech, Mchunu highlighted that farm murders should be addressed not only as “random acts of violence”, but as crimes which have national economic and social consequences.
“Our farmers – black and white – feed the nation, export our produce, and underpin thousands of rural jobs,” he said.
Their safety is non-negotiable. We lose not only lives when they are lost to violence – we lose livelihoods, stability, and food security. This government will not sit idly by and allow that.”
Mchunu further called for the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) and the Department of Justice to prioritize rural violence cases and appoint senior prosecutors.
His call does appear to have been heeded in the Van Rensburg case, where the concerted, timely action on the part of the detectives and the prosecution yielded tight evidence and a conviction.
The Minister has committed quarterly media attention to farm attack investigations, and he has committed to chairing a National Rural Safety Summit in August 2025, at which stakeholders throughout the nation will review progress and make further recommendations for innovations.
President Cyril Ramaphosa, during a May 2025 food security summit, said:
“Farmers are not only landowners – they are the backbone of our agricultural economy. Any danger to their lives is a danger to South Africa’s future. We will not rest until every rural community feels safe.”
Towards a safer countryside for all
This historic conviction is not only justice for the one family but a beacon of hope to thousands who reside in rural South Africa. It sends a strong message: those who victimise farm communities will be brought before the full force of the law.
The case also shows the role of cooperation between community members, dedicated SAPS officers, and the justice system. As a result of sustained pressure from civil society and growing international interest, South Africa appears to be proceeding in a realistic manner towards the resolution of the complex problem of rural and farm crime.
As hunger grips the globe and economic instability remains an affliction upon it, the safety of South Africa’s farmers – black and white, commercial and subsistence – is not merely a national duty but an issue of worldwide urgency.
The post Major SAPS win in ongoing fight to end farm murders appeared first on ProtectionWeb.
The post Major SAPS win in ongoing fight to end farm murders appeared first on defenceWeb.
