Mpumalanga farmers and agricultural workers staged a protest against farm murders, racism and crime in Groblersdal on Tuesday, trade union Solidarity said.

"We have over 200 farmers taking part, and five heavy tractors and 200 ordinary vehicles. We are going to hand a memorandum to the police," said AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel, speaking to Sapa from the gathering in Groblersdal.

"What we want them to do is to look at the root causes [of farm murders], specifically hate speech about farmers and making generalisations about them and putting farmers in a bad light," he said.

The protest action follows the murder of Johan Myburgh (33), who according to the Transvaal Agricultural Union (TAU SA), was shot whilst watching television on his farm between Groblersdal and Middelburg.

Members of the Groblersdal community, including farmworkers, were expected to march through the town.

Sapa