The civil rights organisation AfriForum’s members and supporters will gather at the area next to the Kommando N5 Restaurant in Ad Keet Street in Senekal on 16 October at 10:00. This area was allocated to AfriForum by the SAPS after the organisation had requested an area where it could take control itself to ensure that activities there are ordered and within the framework of the law.
According to Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, the decision was taken to use the area next to the Kommando N5 Restaurant to ensure that the peaceful voice of the majority – who wants to show their anger and displeasure with the terror on farms – isn’t silenced by a small group of agitators or the EFF’s provocative actions. AfriForum and violence-ravaged communities have all the right to be angry about the murder of people like the young Brendin Horner; however, AfriForum believes that is important that the reasonable matter of demanding action against farm murders should not be polluted by those who want to discredit the fight against farm murders.
Kriel points out that AfriForum members are going to Senekal to protest farm murders – and definitely not to get entangled in confrontations with fringe groups like the EFF.
“AfriForum has held numerous successful and peaceful protest actions against farm murders, which succeeded in placing the terror of farm attacks on the agendas of local and international communities. We cannot stop doing that now simply because radicals like the EFF want to abuse the opportunity to hold a protest march in support of farm murders. We cannot stop protesting because agitators are being planted in protest actions to discredit a valid opposition to farm murders. AfriForum will therefore continue to make arrangements to ensure that those who want to discredit the fight against farm murders do not take part in AfriForum’s peaceful action,” Kriel says.
According to Kriel, Flip Buys, Chairperson of the Solidarity Movement, and Dr Theo de Jager, President of the World Farmers’ Organisation en Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the family farming organisation Saai, will address the people at AfriForum’s gathering.
Kriel is concerned that the roadblocks that the SAPS will have on all routes into Senekal may cause delays. He encourages all AfriForum supporters to allow for additional travelling time.
Two more areas were allocated: One where the EFF will gather and another for other organisations who do not want to adhere to AfriForum’s arrangements. AfriForum cannot dictate to others how to act but can prescribe how people should behave in AfriForum’s own area.