It takes a certain kind of human being to inflict wanton violence and death on another person.

This behavior has been endemic throughout history, but almost always within the context of war, or because of religious or ethnic animosity. The savagery which hallmarks certain criminal acts in South Africa appears gratuitous however, as if the perpetrators relish torturing and killing their victims. The government and some commentators declare that the particular barbarity against farmers for example, is simply just another murder (or attempted murder), to be categorized as such within the country’s general criminal statistics. But the statistics reveal something else: farmers, mostly but not all white, are murdered at three times the rate of ordinary citizens and at twice the level of South Africa’s policemen. Another factor in the crime narrative is that many old people are the victims. Soft targets? Of course: the elderly cannot defend themselves and farmers are almost always isolated on their properties. (Blood Sisters )

Published on Aug 10, 2015

South Africa Today – South Africa News