Buffalo City gathering among several awareness rides around SA

Angry over what they say is not enough being done to curb farm attacks, scores of bikers in East London took a stand by gathering in numbers to raise awareness about the scourge.

Their message was loud — enough is enough — but the gathering also saw the group contravening national lockdown regulations.

The bikers came together in Gonubie on Saturday as part of the Bikers United Against Farm Murders and Racism campaign. Similar demonstrations were held in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and KwaZulu-Natal.

Supporters in their vehicles also showed up in their numbers. Wanting to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, the organiser of the event said something had to be done.

“Ramaphosa must know what is happening — families are scared for their lives. This mass ride is happening all over the country,” he said.

While dozens of bikers streamed through, a police car arrived with four officers to disperse the crowd. However, the crowd did not disperse and the mass ride went ahead.

DA ward councillor Andre Swart said at the gathering that the awareness drive could have been handled differently.

“Yes, the general idea of creating awareness is good and I do feel with them. However, this should have gone through the ward councillor as it’s contravening the rules.”

Local organisation Help Each Other Preppers supported the mass ride and carried placards.

Member Dave Knettle said they could not not be a part of the ride. “The farm murders are horrendous. Farmers are the bread basket of the world; if they go we’re dead.”

The mass ride started with no incident except the odd signature “doughnut” near Gonubie Hotel and proceeded into town before ending at Nahoon. Bikers parked on either side of the road, pulling out placards and posters, and standing at the Beach Road Road corner taking a stand.

Some placards read: “Government is a disgrace, save SA: farm murders, gender-based violence, corruption, rape, racism” while others simply read: “Stop farm murders”.

Moto Mecca motorcycle club member JP Davoren said: “There’s not enough publicity about farm murders; it’s swept under the rug. Hopefully this will cause a snowball effect and create awareness.”

The Dispatch reported last week that there were 74 farm attacks in the province in the 2019/2020 financial year, with 14 of those occurring in Addo.

Farm attacks rose from 26 in 2016/2017 to 34 in 2017/2018 and 48 in 2018/2019.

For The Scatterlings Adventure Group road captain John Rademan the awareness drive was personal.

“My friend, Shaun Krull, was killed in a farm attack. This about creating awareness for rural safety,” Rademan said.

Krull, 48, was stabbed to death on Mitchells’s Bon Farm in Kwelerha in September 2019.

The police arrived again, this time in numbers, some armed with rubber bullet guns. The riders were warned over a loudspeaker to disperse in five minutes.

Provincial spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci said: “During level 2, the Disaster Management Act [stipulates] no gatherings are allowed except those mentioned in the [government] gazette. The crowd was instructed to disperse and they complied within the time without resistance.”

Government is a disgrace, save SA ... The farm murders are horrendous. Farmers are the bread basket of the world; if they go we’re dead