VIDEO: Farm murder march cancelled
"President Cyril Ramaphosa must classify farm murders as a priority crime."
Tshwane metro police department (TMPD) has rejected an application for a planned march to raise awareness of farm murders in the country. The march would have taken place on 18 July.
“Should this march go ahead, it will be regarded as illegal,” said metro police spokesperson Senior Superintendent Isaac Mahamba.
He warned protesters no to engage in any marches – or face the consequences. It made the announcement in a press statement on 16 July.
“We received an application for a march by an organisation called South African Farmers, Women and Children of All Races. We could not approve this march due to the current Covid-19 situation in the country.”
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The organisation was planning on marching to the Union Buildings on Saturday, 18 July 2020, from 12:00.
“However, the TMPD has been made aware that the marchers are planning to proceed with the march regardless of the declined application. Should this march go ahead, it will be regarded as illegal.”
Mahamba warned that TMPD officers will be deployed to monitor the situation.
“Anyone who breaks Covid-19 lockdown regulations will be dealt with accordingly.”
He further appealed to members of the public to refrain from engaging in any marches in order to reduce Covid-19 infections.
Devon Hofmeyr, one of the speakers on the day, has called off the march.
“Unfortunately, I cannot send people whose interests I put first in an illegal march. The safety and well-being of our people in times like these must come first,” Hofmeyr told Rekord.
“I really hope that those who hold marches, which are supposed to be illegal, will also receive the type of opposition from the metro,” he added.
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“We are currently in a situation where our farmers are being brutally murdered at hellish speed.”
“President Cyril Ramaphosa must classify farm murders as a priority crime.”
Ramaphosa meanwhile interacted with communities across the nation through a virtual presidential imbizo on Covid-19 on Wednesday.
He said the issue of farm murders was of great concern.
“Anyone who is killed or is murdered is of great concern to all of us and we are concerned about the attacks that are taking place on farms,” he said.
Ramaphosa added he was engaging with the police.
“I was talking to officials in the police today. I was saying we need to focus also on what is happening in a number of places including our farms. I am concerned for all our people: those who are killed in farms, those who are also being killed in the townships, those who are being killed in our cities and those who are being killed in our rural areas,” he said.
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