“Fikile Mbalula isn’t going to

EWN Reporter / Twitter

“Fikile Mbalula isn’t going to do anything about farm murders” – AfriForum

Has The Chief fuelled tensions in the farming community by keeping quiet on farm murders?

“Fikile Mbalula isn’t going to

EWN Reporter / Twitter

The legal crusaders AfriForum have directly labelled Fikile Mbalula as ‘part of the problem’ when it comes to farm murders in this country.

AfriForum and the Solidarity union joined #BlackMonday protesters in Pretoria yesterday, as thousands gathered at the Voortrekker Monument to support the farmers who have been killed in attacks on their land this year.

Since January, 71 farmers have been murdered in 341 separate attacks. The murder of Joubert Conradie in Stellenbosch last week has triggered the wave of demonstrations. Their point was highlighted further when a 73-year-old KZN farmer was attacked and killed on his property yesterday, as Black Monday protests made the headlines.

AfriForum lock horns with Fikile Mbalula

Ernest Roets is the deputy CEO for the AfriForum group. He blamed Police Chief Fikile Mbalula for exacerbating the problem, by refusing to release more specific figures on farm attacks during last week’s Crime Stats briefing:

“We are going to continue to put pressure on government … and [continue with] protests. But we are not going to wait for the minister. Because Mbalula has made it clear he is not going to do anything about this.”

Roets maintained that his lack of feedback on the issue had only raised tensions amongst the farming community. Without the proper information, the deputy CEO feels like the Chief has let these workers down.

How Black Monday’s farm murders protest played out

Protests remained mainly civil yesterday, but the demonstrations were marred by those who brought the old flag of South Africa – dubbed ‘the apartheid flag’ – to events in the Western Cape yesterday.

Many expressed dissatisfaction by blocking the roads with their vehicles. It caused heavy traffic delays across Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town. One of the blockade protests ended tragically, however. A truck ploughed into parked vehicles and hospitalised three members of the ‘Genoeg is Genoeg’ (Enough is Enough) campaign.

As regards a response, the ball is very much in Fikile Mbalula’s court now.