Johnathan Paoli
THE African National Congress (ANC) has condemned as racist and divisive recent actions by the Referendum Party (RP), in which members were recorded stopping specifically Black South Africans and searching their luggage and cars, at the border between the Western and Eastern Cape provinces, despite having no legal authority to do so.
The ANC issued a statement on Thursday, with national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri calling it a grim reminder of the categorisation of Black people as illegal immigrants who must be deported to the Eastern Cape.
Bhengu-Motsiri said that these actions were a reminder of a well-orchestrated plan for an independent Western Cape enclave exclusive to the minority as championed by the Democratic Alliance (DA), and supported by the “fascist” Cape Independents through the Powers bill and plans for secession.
“These abhorrent and despicable acts are a blatant violation of human rights, desecration of our Constitution and act of criminality punishable by law which must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by the peace-loving South Africans,” the spokesperson said.
Bhengu-Motsiri said racism had no place in a society committed towards building a non-racial society, and the elimination of racial bigotry and discrimination, and that as a movement, the ANC was committed towards defending the democratic state and its gains.
“In our diversity, the Constitution and the Republic enjoins us to contribute towards building unity with an unwavering conviction and belief that South Africa belongs to all those who live in it, Black and white. It however appears that there are those who are not committed to this cause of nation building,” she said.
The party spokesperson and leader Phil Craig said that his party chose the iconic R62 border crossing between the Western and Eastern Capes to launch its 2024 election manifesto on Monday and planned to contest the national ballot, as well as the Western Cape provincial and regional ballots.
“The R62 has become politically infamous because of the stark contrast in road conditions on either side of the border, visually illustrating the detrimental impact of the ANC government on South Africa,” Craig said.
This follows the emergence of footage taken during the party’s manifesto on the social platform X, in which members of the RP stopped and searched Black South African motorists and their luggage in front of a boom gate, effectively and illegally blocking traffic on the busy R62.
Many have chastised the party’s actions, calling them racially divisive and discriminatory, with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation Public Diplomacy Clayson Monyela as well as Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie expressing outrage online.
“I will deport you first, this is deeply hurtful and insulting to the majority of the residents,” McKenzie said.
However, Craig defended his party and said the manifesto represented a contract with the Western Cape people, and that his party remained unapologetic for representing this issue.
“We are not here to make people feel comfortable, we are here to turn the system on its head. A referendum on Cape Independence is a legal revolution. The people of the Western Cape must be allowed to choose their own destiny and if that offends people in the rest of South Africa, so be it,” he said.
The RP signed the CapeXit Election Accord on Monday in Cape Town, establishing an agreement of cooperation between CapeXit, a non-profit organisation, the RP and Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus), who are contesting the 2024 general elections.
CapeXit has 840 000 members who have all formally committed in writing to voting for Cape Independence in a referendum, and will be further recommended to vote for either RP or FF Plus.
The party issued a replying statement and said that the ruling party’s failure in terms of service delivery was what was really racist.
“For the ANC to accuse others of racism is laughable. They have trampled all over the notion of a rainbow nation and are now naked black nationalists. They have triumphed over race based policy, whilst failing to implement the diversity they legally demand of society within their own ranks,” the party said.
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