Fact check: What are the official crime statistics for farm attacks in South Africa by race?

1. Summary of the results

Official crime statistics in South Africa do not categorize farm attacks by race in their standard reporting ^[1]. However, a 2017 policy brief indicated that historically, 87.6% of victims were white and 12.4% were black ^[2]. The most recent data shows approximately 49-50 farm murders annually in 2023-2024 ^[2], with historical records showing between 58-74 farm murders annually during 2015-2017 ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial contextual points need to be considered:

• Farm attacks represent a small percentage of total murders in South Africa - 58-74 farm murders out of 20,000 total murders during 2015-2017 ^[1]
• The primary motive appears to be robbery, not racial targeting ^[1]
• The total number of farm murders from 1990-2024 was approximately 2,295 ^[2]
• The South African government maintains these attacks are part of broader crime issues rather than racially motivated incidents ^[1]
• Available data suggests that white farmers are not at greater risk of being killed than average South Africans ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The question itself may reflect common misconceptions about farm attacks in South Africa:

• There's significant misinformation on social media, with false claims such as "60 farmers killed daily" being widely shared ^[2]
• The focus on racial categorization might perpetuate a narrative of targeted racial violence that isn't supported by official evidence ^[1]
• Various groups benefit from different narratives:
• Political groups pushing racial narratives benefit from emphasizing racial aspects
• Government agencies benefit from emphasizing the general crime context
• Media outlets benefit from sensationalizing statistics

The reality appears more complex than simple racial targeting, with robbery being the primary motivation and both white and black farmers being affected by these crimes ^[1].