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MEDIA STATEMENT | Lex Libertas Calls on Ramaphosa to Condemn Farm Attacks and Engage Civil Society on Rural Safety PRETORIA – Lex Libertas has called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to publicly condemn the brutal attack on North West farmer Donovan Marx and to engage civil society organisations on a more decentralised approach to combating farm attacks. Marx was shot, stabbed and severely mutilated during an attack on his farm between Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp on 28 October 2026. In the letter, Lex Libertas points out that President Ramaphosa has previously condemned particularly brutal incidents of violent crime, including the recent killings of women in Ekurhuleni, and calls on him to respond similarly to the attack on Marx. ‘The President has rightly spoken out against other incidents of brutal violence. We believe the victims of farm attacks deserve the same recognition and commitment to justice,’ said Dr Ernst Roets, Executive Director of Lex Libertas. The organisation further calls on the President to facilitate engagement between government and civil society organisations on practical measures to improve rural safety. Lex Libertas argues that the particular challenges associated with farm attacks, including the isolation of rural communities and delays in emergency response, require greater decentralisation and cooperation between the police, agricultural organisations and local communities. ‘It is not enough to declare farm attacks a priority crime. A declaration to that effect would be nothing more than an administrative formality. What matters is whether practical measures are taken to prevent these attacks and bring perpetrators to justice,’ Roets said. ‘Local communities have knowledge, resources and capabilities that should be incorporated into efforts to combat farm attacks. We believe there is considerable scope for a more decentralised approach to rural safety.’ The organisation has offered to engage with the Presidency and relevant government departments on practical solutions.

Media Statement | Brutal attack on North West farmer proves that more should be done about farm attacks PRETORIA – The attack on a North West farmer, during which he was shot, stabbed, and had his ears cut off, is evidence of the fact that more should be done to combat farm attacks in South Africa, said Lex Libertas. The think tank and advocacy group added that it intends to announce a second phase of the White Cross Project soon, which would include displaying three thousand white crosses in front of the Union Buildings about the South African government’s lack of care regarding farm murders. Netwerk24 today reported that Donovan Marx (50) was attacked on his farm between Potchefstroom and Ventersdorp this morning. He is currently receiving treatment in Potchefstroom. Dr Ernst Roets, Executive Director of Lex Libertas, has reiterated that farm attacks constitute a unique crime phenomenon for a variety of reasons, including the frequency and the brutality thereof. ‘Most concerning, despite the severity of the crisis, this is the only crime phenomenon in South Africa that is both openly encouraged and actively denied by some of the most influential politicians in the country.’ He added that President Ramaphosa himself openly stated during an international event in New York City in 2018 that ‘there are no killings of farmers or white farmers in South Africa.’ In September this year, Lex Libertas, in partnership with the New York Young Republican Club, displayed 3,000 white crosses on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to raise international support for interventions regarding the farm attack crisis in South Africa. The institution will announce several steps to be implemented as part of Phase Two of the White Cross Project within the next week. This will include bringing the crosses that were displayed in Washington to South Africa and displaying them in front of the Union Buildings in Pretoria. Lex Libertas has once again called on the South African government to implement measurable steps to combat farm attacks, and added that the persistence of the crisis is evidence of the need for decentralisation in South Africa. ‘Those in power in South Africa are simply too far removed from those who suffer the consequences of their decisions and lack of action. Political power should be brought closer to the people.’ Lex Libertas is a South Africa-based think tank and advocacy group working towards a viable political order for the peoples of South Africa, based on the principles of freedom, decentralisation, and self-governance. Statement issued by: Dr Ernst Roets
Executive Director
Lex Libertas