A total of five out of the six people who were killed on South African farms in rural communities between January and March 2025 are black Africans.
The other farm murder victims are white people.
This was revealed by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on Friday when he was presenting the crime statistics for the fourth quarter of the 2024-2025 financial year. The fourth quarter covers the period of January 1 to March 31 2025.
White genocide lie
Mchunu presented the statistics after US President Donald Trump this week ambushed President Cyril Ramaphosa during an official state visit to America by playing a video meant to support the fallacy that there was a white genocide in South Africa.
Mchunu presented the crime statistics at a media briefing at the GCIS Media Centre in Hatfield, Pretoria. He was joined by National Police Commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola.
When speaking about the crime statistics on farm attacks, Mchunu said there were six murders in rural communities in the country between January and March 2025.
He explained that the farm murder victims were two African farm owners, one white farm dweller, two African farm employees, and one African farm manager.
Farm murders victims mainly black Africans
“In principle, we do not categorise people by race, but in the context of claims of ‘genocide of White people’, we need to unpack the killings in this category. The two farm owners that were murdered during the fourth quarter were African and not White. Further to that, the two farm employees and one farm manager were also African. It is the one farm dweller that was White.
“I do also want to mention that the recent farm murder, which occurred in Roossenekal in Limpopo, occurred in the first quarter of the current financial year and will thus be reflected in the release of the next crime statistics. The history of farm murders in the country has always been distorted and reported in an unbalanced way. And the truth is that farm murders have always included African people in more numbers,” said Mchunu.
Mchunu added that there is misinformation going about, claiming that there is a “white genocide” in South Africa. Mchunu said there is no evidence to substantiate claims of a “white genocide” in South Africa.
“In the last few days, we have seen conversations and concerns about crime in SA taking a totally different turn. The term “genocide” got forcefully introduced to the scene, in a distinctly foreign and strange manner.
False evidence of genocide
“It is claimed that there is ‘white genocide’ in South Africa. And as evidence, a lot of material has been put into circulation, including in the White House, in the USA. These materials include pictures of crosses along a particular road, to name a few,” said Mchunu.
“We have respect for the USA as a country. We have respect for the people in that country and for President Trump. But we have no respect for this genocide story – at all. It is totally unfounded and unsubstantiated,” said Mchunu.
Trump, and his senior advisor, South African born tech-billionaire Elon Musk, have made claims on numerous occasions that there is a “white genocide” in South Africa.
Coming back to the crime statistics, Mchunu said 5 727 people were murdered in South Africa between January and March 2025.
Overall decrease in crime
This is a 12.4% decrease of the murder rate compared to the same period last year. Between January and March 2024, 6 536 people were murdered in the country.
Gauteng (1 439 murders), KwaZulu-Natal (1 193 murders), Western Cape (1 068 murders) and Eastern Cape (1 020) recorded the highest number of murders between January and March 2025.
“We are encouraged that all but one province recorded decreases in murder incidents. The Northern Cape, despite contributing only 2% to the national murder statistics, recorded an increase. This cannot be ignored, and will be addressed with targeted actions,” said Mchunu.
The Northern Cape recorded 112 murders between January and March 2025. This is an increase of 23,1% from the 91 murders recorded in the same period last year.
Cop killings
Meanwhile, Mchunu said 22 police officers were killed between January and March 2025.
Out of this number, Mchunu said six were killed while on duty and 16 were killed while off duty.
“Regrettably, we must report the loss of 22 police officers —six while on duty, and 16 while off duty. Ten of those in Gauteng alone. This is not just a loss to the SAPS but to the entire nation. Let me be clear: an attack on a police officer is an attack on the state. And those responsible will face the full might of the law,” said Mchunu.
