How much more will South African farmers have to endure?

We know that the raping, murdering, and pillaging of lands that white South African farmers is facing is real. But still, we do nothing to help. Enough is enough, writes Peta Credlin. It’s time this issue fixed once and for all.

How much worse do things have to get in South Africa before white farmers are allowed into Australia on humanitarian visas?

We have accepted thousands of refugees from the Horn of Africa, traumatised by violence or the threat of violence.

Often, that trauma has brought ramifications to their new home as Victoria’s Crime Statistics Agency data, released last week, shows. After years of denial by officialdom, the statistics confirm what most Victorians have already picked up that Sudanese-born Australians are 67 times more likely to be charged with aggravated robbery. Yet visa applications to migrate to Australia appear unaffected. Unless, of course, you come from elsewhere on the African continent.

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Despite support from the Australian public and sympathy in the past from Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton, South African farmers who face an escalating campaign from politically radicalised criminals to force them off their land, appear unable to get access to humanitarian visas.

South African farmers and farm workers are fighting to come to Australia. Picture: AFP/David Harrison

We know the violence is real. According to rights group, AfriForum, there have reportedly been 203 assaults, including 23 murders, so far this year. One woman farmer, who was shot and raped before being forced to hand over money, and whose children were fired upon, has just had her family’s application turned down. Apparently, this was because she was not in a camp and has a job. And because her attacker was sentenced to life imprisonment.

But why is the campaign of violence against South African farmers any less serious than the violence faced by Sudanese?

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When these farmers want to settle in regional areas and we know from past experience they work hard and quickly start paying taxes, why the official reticence? Is it because the minister in charge, David Coleman, isn’t on top of his job? I would want to hope that’s the reason, and that Dutton now steps in to help clear this issue of his junior minister’s desk otherwise the only other explanation is the colour of the farmer’s skin. And that would be unacceptable. Fix this problem and fix it quickly.

Originally published as How much more will South African farmers have to endure?