AfriForum’s safety structures participated in a protest convoy against farm attacks today in Naboomspruit, where three suspects of a farm attack appeared in the Magistrate’s Court today.
Alwyn van Zyl (79) was tied up and strangled in March this year during an attack on his farm Badseloop in the vicinity of Naboomspruit. His wife, René (66), was assaulted. The Van Zyl couple was allegedly attacked in their home at midnight by five suspects. Three of the suspects has since been arrested and appeared in Court today. The case was postponed to 7 October, and the Court ordered that one of the suspects received medical treatment after he had allegedly been assaulted.
Today’s convoy – comprising various organisations, rural safety structures and members of the community – was aimed at expressing the farmers and communities’ disgruntlement about the wave of farm attacks that is currently ravaging the country and to show their solidarity with the van Zyl family.
“Although these sad circumstances brought us together, it is heart-warming to see that members of the community are protesting farm attacks more and more. AfriForum will continue to create awareness for farm attacks and to help our communities to become more defensible. When we depart here today, we will return to our neighbourhood and farm watches. The same bakkies that participated in today’s convoy, will be driving patrol tonight and all other nights. We will offer resistance against these reprehensible attacks,” says Andries Opperman, AfriForum’s Safety Coordinator for Limpopo.
According to Magdel Strauss, AfriForum’s District Coordinator for Limpopo, enough is enough. “Communities must stand together and prioritise their safety. We want to encourage people to join their local safety structures to help defend the community.”
