Farm attack victims to participate in White Cross Project Conference and vigil in Washington

Three people whose lives have been profoundly affected by farm attacks in South Africa will participate in the White Cross Project programme in Washington, D.C. on 25 and 26 September 2026.

They will share their experiences at the White Cross Project Conference on 25 September and will also participate in the White Cross Project vigil on 26 September, when 3 000 white crosses will be displayed on the National Mall in remembrance of people murdered during farm attacks in South Africa. The White Cross Project is an initiative of the South Africa-based think tank and advocacy group, Lex Libertas, in partnership with the New York Young Republican Club.

The three participants are Amanda Platt, Heidie Taljaard and Leon Lotz. Each will bring a different perspective on the human consequences of farm attacks. A short description of each follows.

• • Amanda Platt survived a brutal attack on a farm outside Pietermaritzburg in August 2023. During the attack, six armed men attempted to force their way into the home she shared with her husband, Tim. Amanda was struck with a crowbar and stabbed with a spear. One of the assailants shouted ‘Kill the Boer’ while attempting to drag her through a broken doorway. Despite her injuries, Amanda managed to escape, raise the alarm and then return to the house because her husband was still inside.

• • Heidie Taljaard lost both her parents, Dan and Breggie Brand, as well as her sister Elzabie, when they were attacked and murdered at their smallholding near Hartswater in the Northern Cape in July 2020. Their bodies were later discovered in the veld after they had been abducted from their home. Taljaard has since written about the trauma, grief, justice, forgiveness and faith that followed the murders, and will speak about the lasting consequences that farm murders have for the families who are left behind.

• • Leon Lotz and his family have experienced several farm attacks over a period of years. In 2010, eight attackers invaded his in-laws’ farm near Parys, where his father-in-law was murdered, his mother-in-law was severely assaulted and his wife, Adel, was raped in front of their children. Lotz heard members of his family screaming over the telephone while rushing to the scene. His testimony will focus on the consequences that repeated violent attacks have had on his family and his life as a farmer.

Lex Libertas has already announced most of the other speakers who will participate in the conference. These include:

• • Dr Ernst Roets, Executive Director of Lex Libertas, who will introduce the purpose of the conference and discuss the broader political and constitutional context;

• • Stefano Forte, President of the New York Young Republican Club, who will discuss the American interest in developments in South Africa and lessons for the United States;

• • David Ansara, Chief Executive Officer of the Free Market Foundation, who will address property rights, expropriation and land invasions;

• • Dr Martin van Staden, Head of Policy at the Free Market Foundation and editor of the Race Law Index, who will address race-based legislation in South Africa;

• • Adv Mark Oppenheimer, a member of the Johannesburg Bar and advocate for freedom of expression, who will discuss political incitement and the legal treatment of hate speech; and

• • Dr James Myburgh, editor of Politicsweb, who will address the history, statistics and distinctive nature of farm attacks.

The conference will examine political incitement, farm attacks and rural safety, race-based legislation, threats to property rights, and both practical and long-term solutions.

‘The purpose of the conference is not merely to discuss statistics, legal arguments or political theory,’ said Dr Ernst Roets, Executive Director of Lex Libertas. ‘It is essential that international audiences also hear directly from people whose lives have been changed permanently by the violence we are discussing. These are not abstract ideas or numbers. They are lived experiences involving real people, families and communities.’

The White Cross Project seeks to make the crisis facing minority communities in South Africa impossible to ignore, and to channel greater international awareness into support for tangible and sustainable solutions.

A detailed document containing the stories of the three participants can be viewed here.