Farmers Leaving South Africa

The number of commercial farmers in South Africa have plummeted from a high of 85,000 in 1994 to 11,600 today.

The new numbers, released by South African farmers union Agri-SA, become even more of a shock given the number was approximately 13,500 a few months back.

The mostly White, Afrikaaner-Boer farmers find themselves increasingly marginalized in a society that views them as “land barons”, a government that looks to expropriate their land, and “war like conditions” which include a corrupt police force. “The increase in armed attacks, robbery and theft of farm products and implements holds serious financial implications for agriculture in our country. This high crime rate is experienced by the industry as economic sabotage,” said Agri-SA spokesman André Botha.

Farmers have been moving to neighboring African countries, whose governments have invited the farmers because of their expertise in producing bountiful crops in the tough African conditions.

In addition to the loss of commercial farmers, more than 1 million black African farm workers have become unemployed and have had to move their families to squatter camps. In total, approximately 5 million people have been displaced.