New crosses planted at White Cross Monument: AfriForum Youth demands action against farm murders

Fifteen new crosses were planted at the White Cross Monument this past weekend in memory of loved ones murdered in farm attacks over the past year, while two additional crosses were planted to commemorate farmers who died in farm attacks in 1978 and 2018, respectively. Approximately 3 000 people murdered in farm attacks are honoured at this monument located along the N1, between Mokopane (formerly Potgietersrus) and Polokwane (formerly Pietersburg). According to AfriForum Youth, every new cross planted here underscores the urgent need to prioritise farm attacks as a national priority crime.

AfriForum Youth attended the event to pay tribute to the victims of farm attacks and communities affected by these murders.

Hanno Koster, Youth Leader of AfriForum Youth, believes the crosses erected at the monument represent far more than mere figures in crime statistics. “Behind each cross lies a person, a family, and a community that will never be the same again.” During Saturday’s gathering, families did not plant statistics; they planted crosses in memory of loved ones whose place in their homes and communities will remain forever empty. Each cross bears a name and a story that must not disappear from the country’s debate on crime,” says Koster.

AfriForum Youth emphasises that farm attacks must be condemned. “Farm attacks spare no one. Farm owners, their families, workers and visitors can all fall victim to violence in remote rural areas. The youth organisation therefore calls on the government to classify farm attacks as a national priority crime and implement targeted measures to better protect rural communities.

“Commemoration alone is not enough. The government must recognise the severity of farm attacks and respond with a coordinated safety plan. Every additional cross on this hill represents another family that has lost a loved one to yet another senseless farm murder,” says Koster.

AfriForum Youth also calls on the country’s residents to stand together against violent crime and to not allow the conversation about farm murders to be dominated by hatred and division.