Port Elizabeth – The "white man" has a voice in South Africa, and FF Plus leader Pieter Groenewald says he will stand up for it.

"Everything is not always the white man’s fault and I am tired of that, because the onslaught today is against white people," Groenewald said during his first visit to Despatch in the Nelson Mandela Metropole, Netwerk24 reported.

He started his speech by saying that white people had to stop feeling guilty about being white.

He added that he would not take responsibility for anything that happened before 1994.

"Everywhere in the world, things happened that should not have happened. These feelings of guilt have to be shaken off now. I told (President Jacob) Zuma directly that he has to look carefully. I am a white man and I am not shy about my history," he said.

"My vision for the future is that everyone, especially Afrikaners, has to be proud of who and what we are."

The crowd applauded him.

On the DA

He said the principles and policies of the DA and FF Plus differed radically, and that is why they were in opposition.

"Here in the metro, landowners are paying the highest taxes in the entire country - the entire country," he said.

"(Athol) Trollip (metro mayor) uses ANC policy because, with that, the rich have to subsidise the poor."

Groenewald said, if the FF Plus had got 200 votes more in the local elections, their local representative would have had a seat in council and the FF Plus would have acted in the best interests of the people.

"We are a small party, but never let the DA tell you that you waste your vote on smaller parties. We are in Parliament and we spread the policy and interests of the FF Plus’ people."

He said the FF Plus kept talking about issues such as farm murders.

"It is due to our talking, that a debate was held in Parliament about farm murders."

'We are staying here'

He referred to the Hawks, who have declared cash-in-transit heists a priority crime. The police had earlier said that a farmer’s chances of dying in a farm attack was three times higher than that of a security guard being killed in a heist, he said.

"So why are farm murders not a priority?"

He said the police had said that they would now pay attention to farm murders.

"This type of progress is why we have to have a foot in the door, so we can keep talking and fighting to keep our points on the agenda in Parliament."

He said, despite the fact that the white population was dropping, the realities of the future had to be planned for.

"We are not going to run away, we are staying here," he said.

"But start thinking about the day the country is going to be nationalised, because then we will have to have somewhere to go."

He said "they" had to start thinking about a 10th province for self-governance.

"In that 10th province, I will not be driving an ox wagon. I will be driving my 4x4 and have a satellite in the sky, and nobody is going to tell me affirmative action has to be implemented.

"I am not saying move to Orania, but think about the concept. Think about the future of our children," Groenewald said.