In solidarity against crimes on farms

Mbombela

The Mbombela protest was organised when a resident, Liam May, realised that no one else had started planning anything yet. He said as the rest of the country has been protesting farm murders, he felt the need for the city to do the same. The protest was held on Monday from 06:30. “It was good to see the farming community coming together. We handed a memorandum to the Office of the Premier of Mpumalanga, Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane.

“She was given 48 hours to acknowledge receipt of the document and to admit that farm murders are a problem that SAPS need to address. We also gave her 10 working days to come up with a solution and a game plan in terms of the rural safety strategy (RSS), alongside the provincial general of the SAPS. I will follow up on November 9 and after I have met with them, they will have until December 1 to fully implement what should have already been implemented in accordance with the RSS.” The protesters gathered at Mbombela Stadium and police escorted them to the government buildings where May addressed the crowd. 

Komatipoort

Meer as 300 voertuie, insluitend trekkers en trokke, het verlede week deelgeneem aan ‘n optog in die dorp om bewustheid te kweek van die geweld waaronder sommige gebiede in die land gebuk gaan. ‘n Persverklaring wat op die dag uitgedeel is, het gesê die Nkomazi-gemeenskap is bewus van die werklikheid van geweld teen vroue en kinders, sowel as mense in landelike gemeenskappe en die moorde op plaasboere. “Ons wou fokus hierop sodat die regering kan besef dat die voorkoms van geweld en moord nie geïsoleerde gevalle is nie.

Dit is ook ‘n dag om te dink en dankbaar te wees vir die genadegawes wat ons elke dag van ons Hemelse Vader ontvang,” het dit gesê. Dit sê die gemeenskap glo dat die regering sal besef dat hierdie saak vir almal van lewensbelang is.

“Ons hou aan bid vir alle inwoners van landelike gebiede, dorpe en stede en boere op hul plase en dat die Hemelse Vader aan almal die geduld en vrede sal gee om hierdie aanslag van wetteloosheid die hoof te bied. “Met dié optog plaas ons ons vertroue in die plaaslike SAPD en sal saam met hulle werk om die Nkomazi-gebied veilig te maak vir almal,” het die persverklaring ter afsluiting gesê.

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Move ONE Million

The Move ONE Million protest was once again held on the Government Boulevard in front of the Mandela statue on Saturday morning, together with similar protests all over the country. “The truth is that nobody but us will save South Africa. We, the people, are faced with two choices; we can stand divided and fall, or we can find a way to come together and challenge the system as a united front, despite our differences,” said a press release by the movement.

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Witrivier

Die Witrivier-gemeenskap het ook sy stem laat hoor tydens die landwye protesoptrede teen geweld en misdaad in die land. Trekkers, bakkies en ander voertuie het by die saagmeule op die R537 buite die dorp saamgetrek en ‘n roete gevolg tot by Casterbridge. By die sirkel by dié sentrum is daar kruise geplant.

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Barberton

Die optog in Barberton het Sondag om 10:30 by die rugbyklub in Presidentstraat begin. Dit is georganiseer deur Dillon Botha, Barend Carstens en DA-raadslid Phillip Minnaar, en het in samewerking met die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisiediens, Hi-Tech, Barberton-buurtwag en die plaaslike verkeersafdeling plaasgevind.

‘n Konvooi van trekkers, bakkies en motors met Deon de Bruyn, wat twee jaar gelede tydens ‘n plaasaanval op Komatipoort doodgeskiet is, se foto en kruise geborduur met die woorde “Stop plaasaanvalle” is by die polisiestasie verby voordat almal Shebaweg om is na die bekende Daisy Kopje-padstal op die R38. Hier is die kruis in die grond geplant. Na Botha en Carstens die skare bedank het vir hul ondersteuning, het Minnaar hulle toegespreek.