Protesters donned black and carried white crosses – and some the old apartheid-era flag – in the #BlackMonday protests. The protest raised questions about Afrikaner nationalism and white supremacy.
On Monday, hundreds of protesters around South Africa blocked highways in support of #BlackMonday. They wanted to raise awareness about the growing prevalence of farm murders. AfriForum claimed that there have been 70 farmers murdered and 341 attacks since January compared to the 339 attacks and 64 murders last year.
Protesters blocked highways and but what stood out was the display of the the old tricolour flag which is symbolic of the apartheid regime.
This is evident that they aren’t fighting for justice but dominance by presenting identity that only includes em #BlackMonday pic.twitter.com/rrGixQ7AN4
— Supportblackbusiness (@ZinhlePearlSA) October 30, 2017
They are protesting against all farmer killing. Preserving the threat to food security.
It’s not about Race.
RIGHT!
Racists#BlackMonday pic.twitter.com/dn1VVnzT8c— Njabulo Kubheka (@Njabulokubheka8) October 30, 2017
To every person who continues to fly this flag – YOU ARE RACIST! #BlackMonday pic.twitter.com/dMHkmBVh42
— Athi Jara (@athivuyo) October 30, 2017
People on Twitter were puzzled about why the flag was being evoked at these protests.
I just don’t get why some people protesting against Farm murders have to carry the Old SA Flag, what are they implying? #BlackMonday
— Makashule Gana 🇿🇦 (@Makashule) October 30, 2017
It’s not an “implication”…it’s a direct, bold statement. An f@#$ you statement https://t.co/cPgDfAokaw
— Redi Tlhabi (@RediTlhabi) October 30, 2017
A woman from Cape Town told News24 she felt protected under the old South African flag, that she was proud of that flag. “This isn’t a black and white issue, it’s about the right to live and the right to protect yourself,” she said.
#BlackMonday Odette van Rensburg from Cape Town says “she felt protected under the old SA flag, not under the new flag.†@TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/f3TReMVyVo
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 30, 2017
‘It’s not about race’
‘The old flag is a symbol of heritage’
Me:
— Tumi Sole (@tumisole) October 30, 2017
Social anthropology professor at Wits University David Coplan told eNCA in September that Afrikaners continue to display the flag to show they still have ownership of the country. Coplan was commenting after a pub in Sea Point came under fire for displaying it.
“It memorialises Afrikaans nationalism and white supremacy. It’s not just a matter of history only,” he said. They have this problem in the United States with the old Confederate flag which they say is part of Southern history but is very prejudicial and ethnic oriented and divisive history, he said. “If people in South Africa really want to be South African and pull together as I do, I don’t think we should be displaying that flag.”
Politicians condemned the use of apartheid symbolism. Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa and Midvaal executive mayor Bongani Baloyi came out on Twitter to condemn the use of the flag.
We strongly condemn the racism on display at the #BlackMonday protest with the brandishing of the apartheid flag. This is unacceptable.
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) October 30, 2017
Today I witnessed the open and proud embrace of symbols(Old SA Flag) and Die Stem by the Farmers on the R59 in Redan. Very disgusting
— Midvaal Exec. Mayor (@BaloyiBongani1) October 30, 2017
The blatant brandishing of apartheid-era symbolism suggests that at least for a portion of the protesters, Black Monday is more about politics and less about farm murder.
It looks more like a (racist) white Monday than a #BlackMonday to me….
— Pierre de Vos (@pierredevos) October 30, 2017
*Editor’s note: A paragraph was amended in this article to reflect that AfriForum has made a claim about the rate of farm murders, rather than a revelation.