In Pics - Thousands gather in prayer for Brendin Horner and against farm murders in South Africa! 11
Photo Cred: Isolde Laesecke

Thousands of South Africans gathered in prayer for Brendin Horner and against farm murders in South Africa yesterday.

 

Free State, South Africa (07 October 2020) – Agricultural leaders, community members and farmers from Senekal and surrounding areas in the Free State gathered in the small town yesterday ahead of the court case of the two men linked to the murder Brendin Horner, a 21-year-old farm manager.

According to “Times Live” the young man worked for Bloukruin Boerdery, which is owned by the Scheepers family. His body was found on Friday tied to a pole in an open space on the De Rots farm where he worked as a manager.

Thousands of community members gathered in the Free State town on Tuesday wearing “Stop Farm Murder” t-shirts while holding placards asking the public to “Remember their names” and calling for an end to farm murders in South Africa.

The crowd was addressed by AfriForum representatives and other stakeholders groups, as well as representatives from political parties such as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus (FFP).

Chairperson of the Southern African Agri Initiative (Saai) Theo de Jager, who also attended the protest outside the court on Tuesday, described Horner’s murder as “senseless and cruel”.

De Jager said the murder made headlines even in Europe and North America.

“SA’s agricultural community has never been as frustrated and disappointed with the state as they are now. Feelings among farmers are running high,” he said. “For the sake of rural stability, the ANC must take their points of view and their approach to farm murders into urgent reconsideration.”

The proceedings outside the court were kicked off with a moment of silence and prayer for all the victims, farmers and workers of farm attacks.

In Pics - Thousands gather in prayer for Brendin Horner and against farm murders in South Africa! 11
Photo Cred: Isolde Laesecke
In Pics - Thousands gather in prayer for Brendin Horner and against farm murders in South Africa! 11
Photo Cred: Isolde Laesecke
In Pics - Thousands gather in prayer for Brendin Horner and against farm murders in South Africa! 11
Photo Cred: Isolde Laesecke
In Pics - Thousands gather in prayer for Brendin Horner and against farm murders in South Africa! 11
Photo Cred: Isolde Laesecke
In Pics - Thousands gather in prayer for Brendin Horner and against farm murders in South Africa! 11
Photo Cred: Isolde Laesecke
In Pics - Thousands gather in prayer for Brendin Horner and against farm murders in South Africa! 11
Photo Cred: Isolde Laesecke

Enough is Enough

It is unsure exactly what happened, but the scene turned into mayhem as police and the community clashed.

Gunshots were fired (according to eye-witnesses by the police), stun grenades were set off, court property was destroyed and a police vehicle overturned and set alight.

Apparently the community believe that the crime in South Africa is out of control, and the government is not doing enough to protect us.

The DA was in attendance on Tuesday – and they distanced themselves from the violence that erupted in Senekal, “Brendin Horner paid the ultimate price for his choice of career as a young South African farmer. The DA understands the emotions of the violent death of a young person, and the frustrations people have with the criminal justice system. The DA will not react to violent outbursts and will continue to be the voice of reason.”

Ernst Roets of AfriForum, however, is in no mood to condemn these ugly scenes, and pinned the blame on the government, “We saw outside the court how people show compassion, but also that people are furious about the situation in the country. The anger that the people have expressed here today is the result of the cruelty of the problem that simply does not stop and which is accompanied by the attitude that the government takes towards farm murders.”

The case against the two suspects was postponed to 16 October.


Sources: Times Live | Daily Mail 
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