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Cape Town – No apartheid flag was displayed at the protest against farm murders in Cape Town on Monday morning, "Genoeg is Genoeg" [Enough is Enough] organiser Daniel Briers claimed.
Apartheid flags were spotted by News24 reporters at both the Cape Town and Pretoria marches, and some were seen on photos circulating on social media.
Contrary to this, a tired Briers told News24 that people on social media "might be blind" to say that the people brought the apartheid flag to the march.
He said that negativity in the country needed to end.
"It's time; enough is enough of all negativity. With God, we change this country from our hearts, and when we change it to positive, you see more positive things today, that's why [today] really [was] in peace."
Western Cape authorities estimated that 10 000 people took part in the 'Genoeg is Genoeg' convoy from Klapmuts to the Cape Town stadium, a roughly 50km drive. The convoy left Klapmuts just after 08:00 and the first vehicles started to arrive at the Cape Town stadium at 13:00.
READ: #BlackMonday: 'This is about love'
In Gauteng, photos of #BlackMonday participants dressed in apartheid flags sparked outrage on social media.
Three people were arrested early in the morning for blocking the N1 highway in Centurion, while two people were seriously injured in Middleburg, Mpumalanga, when a truck drove into vehicles blocking a road.
The Gauteng education department said concessions were made to matric pupils who were delayed by the march.
All pupils were allowed to write their exams despite arriving after the one hour cut-off time, spokesperson Steve Mabona said in a statement.
Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa condemned the #BlackMonday protest, tweeting that the display of the apartheid flag is unacceptable.
While the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Congress of the People (COPE) expressed support for the march, ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa, however, questioned why there wasn't the same outrage for the murder of farm workers.
Meanwhile, Capetonian Odette van Rensburg raised the ire of Twitter users on Monday afternoon when she said that under the apartheid flag, "she felt protected".
Pointing towards the apartheid flag on her jacket, she said: "I am proud of this flag, I am not proud of my new flag."
Van Rensburg was one of the few people seen at the protestwith apartheid memorabilia. Western Cape community safety MEC Dan Plato told News24 that he attended the protest to condemn murders, including those taking place at the Cape Flats.
He said that he was "glad that communities begin to rise".
"Each and every racial group… have the right to rise. It is short-sighted people referring that now it's a racial kind of uprising."
After a brief prayer, where participants were asked to hold hands in a sign of unity, Briers ended the protest.
The Black Monday protest in Cape Town concluded with a bible reading and a prayer. (Aletta Harrison, News24)
"This is not the end, this is just the beginning, because, Lord, your people will humble themselves and seek your face today," Briers prayed.
Asked what he'll do after the protest, Briers said in Afrikaans: "Ek is 'n boer, ek gaan nou ploeg [I am a farmer, now I'll go and plough]."
