VRYHEID KZN: #BlackMonday march in honour of farm attacks and murders
During the official ceremony, 17 candles were lit
Residents took to the streets for a #BlackMonday procession on Sunday in memory of those who have lost their lives in farm attacks. This was also a way of creating awareness. After gathering at the Farmers Hall, the morning started off with a prayer and the reading of a few Bible verses by Dirk Koekemoer. During the official ceremony, 17 candles were lit. The candles were in brown bags bearing the deceased’s name and date of demise. The candles were lit in honour and remembrance of those farmers and wives who perished under tragically violent circumstances on their farms. Unfortunately, the #BlackMonday protest was not as well attended as last year. The protest is normally held at the end of October, but this year it had to be postponed due to the elections that took place on November 1. Nonetheless, people showed up with a few horses, motorcycles and bakkies with white crosses attached to the front or on top of the vehicles.
The first nationwide protest against farm murders was dubbed #BlackMonday and originated in 2017. After a plea on social media, it went viral and the protest took place across the country a week later. It is now a national organisation that has international recognition. The march is a non-political and non-racial procession and the aim is to eventually force government to declare farm killings and attacks as a special crime.
According to recent statistics which were provided by the organiser of the local #BlackMonday protest, Riaan Erasmus, approximately 18 farmers and their wives were murdered last year. Up to July of this year, approximately 17 murders have been recorded. Erasmus says these statistics are a rough estimate and there are probably more; these numbers are nationwide and the only ones he could obtain at the time. When one looks at the ages at which these farmers died, they sadly range from as young as 21 up to 86 years old.
The organisers would like to thank each and every person who took the time and made an effort to join the #BlackMonday march.
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