On February 1, the Mpumalanga Agricultural Union President...

On February 1, the Mpumalanga Agricultural Union President Lourie Bosman called for the reinstatement of the death penalty after Anna van der Berg was murdered in front of her Steynsdraai farmhouse near Carolina on January 30, by unidentified attackers who stole R4000 (US$ 678)cash and two handguns. Farmers were already preparing for a predicted surge in rural crime and farm attacks during the run-up to the 1999 elections. "We believe that the death sentence will be the only real preventative measure that could cut down on the number of farm attacks. Innocent farmers are dying and the Government must listen."