This is the sentiments of the civil movement Afriforum's, Ernest Roets, who attended the Senekal farmers' protest in the Free State on Tuesday, coinciding with the court appearance of Sekwetje Mahlamba (32) and Sekola Matlaletsa (44). He says the people are angry and very sad at the same time because they regard what happened to the slain 21-year-old farm manager, Brendin Horner, as something that might happen to them. He says the people further regard the brutal murder of Horner as an attack on their community. Roets has further slammed President Cyril Ramaphosa and police minister Bheki Cele over the farm murders happening across the country.

"When President Cyril Ramaphosa went to the international forum in 2018 and was asked about farm murders, he denied that farm murders exist. He said there are no farm murders in South Africa. And more recently, just two weeks ago, we had the police Minister, Bheki Cele, say farm murders should not be a priority for the police and it made people very very angry. It makes people lose trust in government," he adds.

A scuffle broke out between members of the South African Police Services (SAPS) on Tuesday after Mahlamba and Matlaletsa made a brief court appearance.

Following this scuffle, a police van was set alight during a protest. Eyewitnesses earlier told OFM News that protesters gained entrance inside the court in search of the suspects who allegedly killed the 21-year-old farm manager. Furthermore, according to the two eyewitnesses who had a full glimpse of the scene, the protesters earlier - after gaining entrance inside the court - managed to push the police out of the court premises.

Roets adds that Afriforum believes that they will continue to campaign for the farm murders to be prioritised.

"We have many priority crimes in this country, gang-related, copper cable theft, rhino poaching, violence against women and children (also gender-based violence), and cash-in-transit heists. The reason why these crimes are priority crimes is because they are unique and they have far-reaching consequences. Farm murders should be responded to the same," Roets further adds.

OFM News