Walking 1000km in the name of farm murders

There comes a time in every man’s life when he has to stand up for what is right – even if he stands alone, my father used to tell me.

I won’t be surprised if Petrus Sitho knew my father, because this man is fighting a lone battle for what he believes South Africa needs.

Farm murders have worried him for some time and now he is walking from East London to discuss the matter with Uncle Cyril in Pretoria.

“I should be at the Union Buildings by the end of April,” he said on Wednesday. “It’s a long walk but I have to do it. We are killing our food source with this country’s farmers.”

Petrus, a man who grew up on a Free State farm and developed an understanding of the role of agriculture in the food security chain early on in life, told me that people has already threatened to kill him for his beliefs.

He experiences a lot of resistance but, since 2018, he has supported the victims of farm attacks tirelessly.

“It’s not about white or black. It’s about food, about the future of all the people in this country,” he said.

“But I must say, at least 80% of the people I talk to understand what I stand for and support my cause.”

After my conversation with Petrus, I was ashamed. I, too, believe in a lot of things. I work hard to put food on the table and keep a roof over my family’s head.

But I drive to work in my battered panel van – I won’t dream of walking. And I only live 50km from my office.

I believe we have serious challenges and I often complain to friends and family about the things that are wrong in our beloved land.

Cadre deployment in key positions, service delivery, Eskom, the economy, crime…

But, like 99% of my fellow South Africans, I don’t lift a finger to change things.

We’re privileged to have people like Petrus to set the example.

Not all of us can walk 1 000km to tell the president about the problems in the country.

But we all have something to contribute to initiate the change that will produce the South Africa we all need.

Even if it is only at the polling station this year.

Dirk Lotriet.