Ernst Roets Plans to Plant 3,000 Crosses in Washington to Spotlight Farm Attacks in SA
- Ernst Roets launched a campaign to plant 3,000 white crosses in Washington, DC, to raise awareness of farm attacks in South Africa
- This follows the continuous claims that white farmers are being killed and that their land is being confiscated in South Africa
- Social media reactions highlighted diverse opinions on prioritising farm murders over broader crime issues
Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.
Source: Twitter
A campaign linked to the head of policy at the Solidarity Movement and former AfriForum deputy CEO, Ernst Roets, has called for 3,000 white crosses to be planted at the National Mall in Washington, DC, in the USA, to raise awareness about farm attacks in South Africa.
Supporters to sign a petition and sponsor a cross
The call was promoted on X by Ernst Roets, on Saturday, 7 March 2026, a former senior figure in AfriForum. In the post, Roets urged supporters to sign a petition and sponsor a cross as part of the campaign. Roets said the initiative aimed to highlight what he described as a lack of international media coverage of farm murders. He said the display of crosses in Washington would draw attention to what he called a crisis affecting farmers in South Africa.
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The appeal accompanied a report about a farmer who was reportedly fighting for his life after a brutal attack near Elands Bay on the West Coast. According to the report shared in the post, the farmer was beaten and stabbed after confronting suspected livestock thieves who were allegedly stealing sheep from his property. The report said the victim suffered severe head injuries. Roets said the planned display of crosses would be used to draw global attention to farm attacks and mobilise international awareness around the issue.
South Africans weigh in
Social media users shared their opinions regarding the petition by Roets.
@_phumstar said:
"I wonder how many crosses you would take for black murders in townships, since farmer death is more important in South Africa."
@KingAlfredSA said:
"I used to spend my childhood holidays just south of Langebaan - sad as this was a safe area until recently."
@OGatyene said:
"I heard about this on the radio. He caught stock thieves red-handed, and they attacked him during the confrontation."
Source: Twitter
@627devlab said:
"Don't confuse crime with hatred. Inequality is the mother of crime; address inequality, lessen crime."
@matthewparkscpt said:
"Society would take you more seriously if you were as passionate about crime affecting all South Africans, irrespective of race."
@RamTshilidzi said:
"This one must be charged with treason."
@miss_kay32 said:
"Crime affects all South Africans."
Darryl Brown responds to Trump’s claims
Briefly News also reported that South Africans debated a CBS News segment about farm murders and United States President Donald Trump’s allegations of white genocide in the country.
Some supported the findings of the report, while others severely refuted the claims.
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Source: Briefly News
