By equating boer with Afrikaner people or a minority group, government creates a generalised view that actual farmers represent a particular political profile. This was according to Johannes Möller, Agri SA’s president, in reaction to ANC deputy president, Cyril Ramaphosa’s, recent remarks that voters must vote for the ANC, “or else the Boere will come back”.
Möller said most role-players in the agricultural industry did not identify with this view and had concerns about the perceptions it created and the polarisation it encouraged. “An increasing number of farmers from different racial and political beliefs are participating in the industry and they want to be acknowledged as proudly South African farmers, without concerns that their professional identity is being abused for political gain,” he said.
In light of next year’s general election, Möller called on politicians and others to respect this view and use the term boer with circumspection.
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