The Benoni Community Policing Forum (CPF) arranged the gathering.
Benoni CPF Sector Three chairperson and vice-chairperson of the Benoni CPF Zen Teitge said he and his fellow CPF members arranged the gathering because “when things get tough, we braai”.
“We need to stand together, boere need to stand together because now it is actually more dangerous to farm than it is to be a normal civilian,” he explained.
He said the objective of the protest was to strengthen bonds between farmers and the SAPS.
In a statement as the chief executive officer for the Civilian Crime Intelligence Network, executive chairperson for the Ekurhuleni Central Cluster CPF Reza Patel said that “the levels in crime and violence in all communities, and against all South Africans, are undoubtedly high”.
He also told the City Times that members of the community were unhappy with farm murders and explained that the protest served as a platform for community members to express their unhappiness.
Protesters from all over the East Rand occupied the island of Great North Road from the Engen garage in Brentwood Park to a couple of hundred metres past the High Road intersection.
People came with braais, meat and cold drinks.
Protesters’ reasons for joining varied.
Tania du Plessis, a Glen Marais resident, said she joined because her parents were attacked on their farm located between Bela-Bela and Modimolle (Nylstroom).
The attack happened on September 13.
Her mother (73) died in the attack and her father (83) died in hospital on October 7.
A couple from Rynfield, Marietjie and Carel van Rooyen, said they joined the protest braai because they have friends who are farmers and wanted to show their support.
Deidré Claassens from Brentwood Park said she was there to support the cause and said that “this must stop”.
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