Farmers stage go-slows to protest farm murders
Farmers have taken to major roads to stage go-slows in solidarity with those who have been murdered in farming communities.
Hundreds of farmers are staging go-slows on major roads in different parts of Gauteng to raise awareness over farm murders.
Organiser of the go-slow in Pretoria, Louwrens Kniep, told Jacarandafm News by telephone says their action "in not only for all the farmers, this is for all the people of South Africa that lost people due to violent crime".
Kniep is leading a group on the N1 south through Pretoria.
He says they plan to take the Botha road off ramp in Centurion to allow normal traffic flow on the highway.
Police spokesperson Katlego Mogale says they are also aware of demonstrations in Cullinan, Krugersdorp and the Vaal.
She says the only road that had been blocked off completely is the R58 in Meyerton.
She says public order policing members are monitoring the situation on the R58 and are also monitoring the other demonstrations.
Lobby group Afriforum is meanwhile holiding a prayer session at the Voortrekker Monument in solidarity with the #BlackMonday awareness campaign.
The agricultural industry association AgriSA also says it supports the campaign and the plight of farming communities.
While AgriSA itself will not take part in any of the demonstrations, President Johannes Möller encouraged their members to participate.
Violence in farming communities recently came back into the spotlight after police released the 2016/ 17 crime statistics.
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While initially not specifying the number of attacks and murders on farms, the Freedom Front Plus' Pieter Groenewald says the figures were later made available to him.
Groenewald says there were 74 farm murders and 638 farm attacks during the 2016/ 17 financial year, according to figures given to him by police.