Petrus is an activist against farm murders

Petrus was born and raised on a farm in Bultfontein, where his parents are still staying. After school he studied business management and accepted a job as a parts manager for a tractor company in East London.

“I enjoyed my job and earned a good salary but in 2018 God spoke to me about the farm murders. I never knew apartheid and didn’t grow up with it. In God’s eyes we are all equal. I felt honoured that God wants to use me. I resigned from my job and became an activist against farm murders,” Petrus said.

On September 10, 2018, Petrus wrote a memorandum for President Cyril Ramaphosa which he wanted to deliver in person.

“I slept in my car in front of the Union Buildings, waiting to see the president,” Petrus said. His memorandum requested the president not to allow land expropriation without compensation, to take action against farm murders and to prevent South Africa from becoming like Zimbabwe.

Petrus was attacked by three armed men that night, who pulled him out of his car and hit him with a golf club.
“I thought they were going to kill me. They asked me who sent me and I kept telling them it was God. I prayed nonstop and after 20 minutes, I felt a warmth come over me. It could only have been the Holy Spirit. The men left and I got strength to run up to the top of the Union Buildings. I woke the police up who took me to Sunnyside Police Station,” Petrus told.

“The president was informed about my visit that night and I was requested not to speak to the media. That made me even more determined to get my message out. I started spreading my story on social media,” he said.

Petrus has since spoke on invitation at The Free Market Foundation in Bryanston which was established to further human rights and democracy through the principles of an open society.

“My message is the same to everyone I address: please don’t kill our farmers. Government, don’t take land without compensation. Give farmers title deeds. With title deeds, farmers can borrow from the bank. Without title deeds, they can’t and these farmers are easy targets. God chose me to be an activist for the farmers. I was chosen to fight for the farmers. I am the voice of the farmers irrespective of colour or political status,” Petrus said.

Sakkie Qave from East London and Phule Tlali from Bultfontein followed Petrus on social media and decided to join him as activists.

“It’s tough for us. We can’t do it alone. We want people to unite and the farmers to stand together,” Petrus said. With his car branded ‘Stop Farm Murders’, these three men travel all over the country, addressing crowds, speaking on invitation, visiting farms and talking to victims of farm attacks.

“We live by faith. We don’t have sponsors for accommodation, food or petrol, but we sometimes meet good Samaritans who make a donation or offer us food,” Petrus told.

Petrus takes videos of his interviews with victims and through social media reached thousands of local and international platforms. He was interviewed by media groups in Australia, Canada and the UK and also reached the air waves of Radio America.

When asked why he is not working with a government organisation, he had this to say: “My heart breaks when I see big organisations that want to take money from farmers or who want me to be the face of the organisation, but they don’t do anything for the farmers. I will never steal money from farmers. I don’t ask money to come and talk and do it all out of my own cost.

I sold my household items to buy a car and to be an activist. I know that some of the people in the audience are farm attackers. I tell them that we must unite to ensure food security in our country and I encourage people to change.”

Petrus, Sakkie and Phule walked from East London to Senekal to speak to the parents of Brendin Horner who was brutally killed on a farm in Senekal. He tells how heart-breaking it was to see Brendin’s mother crying nonstop about her son’s senseless and brutal murder.

“I left Senekal very emotional but with the encouraging words from Brendin’s mother, ‘When I see you, I see the solution to unite South Africa’,” Petrus said.

Petrus, who often receives threats, is not scared to put his life in danger in order to achieve his mission and live out his vison from God to unite farmers and stop farm killings. He is planning a countrywide tour. Petrus has a message to the police: protect the farmers, be proactive and have a military police for farmers.

“If we kill our farmers, we will never get food. Poor people receive food parcels but they need to know where the food comes from, how hard our farmers have to work to feed the country. My long-term goal is to deliver food parcels myself and educate the poor about what goes into farming before food is on the table,” Petrus told.

“You cannot focus on a rear mirror if you are going forward. We cannot change the past but united we can build towards a better future,” Petrus concluded.

If anyone wants to invite Petrus or support his mission, contact him on 073 008 4105 or his spokesperson, Celia Boshof, on 073 478 2798.