AfriForum heads to court about march against farm murders

AfriForum will tomorrow (Thursday, 29 November 2012) approach the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria to obtain permission to continue with its march against farm murders this Saturday.

This follows after the Tshwane Metro Police initially indicated that they had no objection to the proposed march, but later indicated that ‘top management' had refused to give permission. This drama developed after Ernst Roets, deputy CEO of AfriForum, contacted Zweli Mnisi, communications officer of the Ministry of Police, to arrange that a representative of the South African Police Service be present to accept a petition from marchers. However, in the course of the conversation Mnisi indicated to Roets that he planned to put a stop to the planned march.    

According to Willie Spies, legal representative of AfriForum, section 17 of the Constitution guarantees, as a basic human right, the right of all citizens to hold demonstrations and marches and to present petitions. The Metro Police's sudden refusal to allow the event therefore comes as a surprise. 

Several well-known South Africans, including Steve Hofmeyr, have already indicated that they will participate in the march this Saturday. The march is part of AfriForum and the Solidarity Movement's campaign against farm attacks and for the promotion of rural safety. The Solidarity Research Institute yesterday hosted a successful conference on farm attacks where it was reported, among other things, that farmers' chances of being murdered are twice as high as that of any other South African. During the conference the unprecedented brutality of most farm attacks was also noted.

The urgent application will be heard at 10:00 tomorrow in the North Gauteng High Court.

Statement issued by Willie Spies, AfriForum: Legal representative, November 28 2012

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