By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Berwick Springs parkland was the stage for an international protest this week for the plight of farmers in South Africa days after two of them were murdered.
About 35 South African Australians from Melbourne’s South-East on 30 October held up placards to “support our farmers” during the mid-afternoon rally – coinciding with Black Monday protests worldwide.
Spokeswoman Maria Perekseles, of Emerald, said the targeted killing of white farmers in South Africa had passed with little international condemnation.
This was possibly due to the ANC government courting the ‘Kill the Farmer’ slogan and encouraging the ‘reclaiming’ of farmers’ lands.
She concedes South Africa’s apartheid reputation was hindering the message overseas.
“That was 20 years back. You’re talking about the wrong generation.
“A lot of us disagree with what happened in the apartheid era. But if you look at the murder rates then and now, it’s a massive increase.”
Ms Perekseles tells gruesome tales of cruel rape and murder of whole families by gangs.
In 2017 so far, there have been more than 350 farm attacks with 72 occupants killed, Ms Perekseles claims.
She and her family fled crime-riddled South Africa in 2006 after their home was attacked by a gang of thugs for the second time.
She said many predominantly white professionals were moving to Australia.
“There was no future for our children under affirmative action.
“If you’re white, you can no longer get a job in South Africa.”
Ms Perekseles said she’d love to return to her homeland one day.
“But it won’t happen. It’s going to turn into a Zimbabwe.
“We feel there’s a racial war going to happen.”
