Leave Your Apartheid Flags At Home, Say Anti-Farm Murder Protest Organisers

The gathering is aimed at unity among all South Africans -- 'Genoeg is Genoeg' [Enough is Enough] organiser Talita Basson
(Photo by Dean Vivier / Beeld / Gallo Images / Getty Images)
(Photo by Dean Vivier / Beeld / Gallo Images / Getty Images)
Gallo Images via Getty Images

No apartheid memorabilia or flags would be welcomed at a protest against farm murders starting near Klapmuts, Cape Town, on Monday. The gathering would rather focus on unity among all South Africans, 'Genoeg is Genoeg' (Enough is Enough) organiser Talita Basson told News24.

"We are against everything that is a part of the old South Africa. We won't be singing Die Stem, we won't be carrying the apartheid flag, and we won't allow any hate speech."

"What we are doing is about the new South Africa, from the farmer to the farm worker."

She said farm workers have been approached to do one of the prayers at the gathering.

"We are doing everything in the name of the Lord."

Between 500 and 1,500 people were expected to gather at the Kanonkop wine estate, Klapmuts, from 6am.

From there participants were scheduled to drive along the R44 to the Green Point Park in Cape Town for a prayer gathering.

On Facebook, 1,400 people indicated they would be attending the gathering.

Basson, 21, an education student at Stellenbosch University, said she was inspired to organise the event after she drove past Joubert Conradie's farm.

Conradie died on Tuesday last week after he was shot on his farm in Klapmuts.

"At first I wanted to just ignore it and drive away, but when I saw people praying, I decided to stop. I knew I wanted to do something. I needed to do something."

Chris Loubser, the farm manager whose emotional plea last week sparked the nationwide call to devote this Monday to commemorating victims of farm attacks, also supported the gathering, Basson claimed. Loubser's video, in which he expressed his feelings of powerlessness following Conradie's murder, was widely shared on social media.

A separate gathering by Johan Willemse was scheduled to be held before the National Assembly on Monday morning, but Basson said the 'Genoeg is Genoeg' campaign was not aligned with that of Willemse.

(Photo by Deaan Vivier / Beeld / Gallo Images / Getty Images)
(Photo by Deaan Vivier / Beeld / Gallo Images / Getty Images)
Gallo Images via Getty Images

A controversial figure, Willemse previously chained himself to a statue of Jan van Riebeeck in Cape Town to protest its removal.

"We are strictly a non-political gathering," Basson said.

Western Cape police spokesperson Colonel Andre Traut said police are aware of the 'Genoeg is Genoeg' gathering and would deploy an "adequate number of officers".

Basson and her co-organiser, Daniel Briers, approached the City of Cape Town for event approval, but on Friday afternoon it had not yet been granted.

Briers, a 44-year-old farmer outside Paarl, said their gathering was "not a call for chaos, but a call for love".

"We are wearing black on Monday for every daughter raped on a field, for every murder that occurs in this country. We are saying enough is enough," he said.

"We are not calling for division. We are calling everyone to unite for love, joy and peace for this country."

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