Farmers’ lives also matter

While the fires of the protests that followed the senseless killing of George Floyd still smoulder and while the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement gains traction, we in SA need to start a similar movement, but for a different group of people.

Both the ANC and the EFF vigorously and ferociously supported the BLM concept. Nothing wrong with that.

However, when one studies the statistics of attacks on farmers in SA, the figures are alarming.

In 2020, on average, there has been one farm attack and/or murder of a farmer every week, which makes for grim reading.

Commercial farming in SA is not for the faint-hearted.

Farmers have to cope with the inconsistencies of weather, energy costs, potential expropriation of their land and, as stated, farm attacks.

The president recently made a speech in which he condemned attacks on women and children — and rightly so.

But what about farmers? They seem to have become a forgotten and invisible group.

If farmers are driven off their land, where will our food come from?

Why are the ANC and EFF not vigorously and ferociously defending our farmers at this time, and speaking out against armed attacks on farming communities?

They appear to be missing in action.

We have serious problems right here in SA, on our doorstep, which are being ignored by the powers that be.

Surely such attacks must be more important than events taking place in the US?

How about SA starting a movement called Farmers’ Lives Matter?

It is seriously needed.