The ANC has broken its silence over the use of the old South African flag during Monday's #BlackMonday events, calling it "arrogant" and "offensive".
The party reportedly said that black farmers were also killed on farms, and that all lives should be treated equally. The ANC said the display of the old flag is evidence of a yearning for the return of white supremacy.
"The African National Congress condemns the despicable and racist behaviour by some who took part in the so-called #BlackMonday campaign by groupings representing the farming community today," ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said a statement on Monday.
"The racial characterisation of crime and the stoking of racial hatred by some elements in the campaign through, amongst others, the arrogant and offensive display of apartheid South Africa's flag, are indicative of an unrelenting yearning for apartheid fascism and white supremacy and make a mockery of the national reconciliation project; continuing to entrench obstacles to the creation [of] a nonracial society in South Africa."
AfriForum reportedly distanced itself from participants who carried the old South African flag, while organisers of the march in Cape Town warned participants not to bring the flag to the protest.
On Monday, Agri SA also distanced itself from the racialised nature of the march, saying that farm murders affected all races.
According to Transvaal Agricultural Union's Chris van Zyl, the union's database on Thursday last week indicated a total of 65 murders on farms and 347 attacks so far in 2017. Figures provided to HuffPost SA by AfriForum Research Institute (ANI) Lorraine Claasen were about the same, with 67 murders and 349 attacks on farms, which Claasen said were "conservative estimates". These do not include reported attacks and murders since the figures were provided to HuffPost SA.
Police spokesperson Fikile Funda told AfriForum that over 1,000 people took part in the protest on the R59 in Sedibeng, with about 1,500 cars blocking the roads.