The African National Congress (ANC) has urged South Africans to exercise restraint, and to allow the South African Police Service, the Human Rights Commission and other State agencies to investigate and deal with the “abhorrent and despicable” acts that occurred on the R62 road between the Eastern Cape and Western Cape.

A group of what the ANC calls “unauthorised secessionist vigilantes” allegedly stopped and searched black people on the border.

ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri said the alleged acts are a blatant violation of human rights, and a desecration of the country’s Constitution.

She said racism had no place in a society committed to building a nonracial society, and elimination of racial bigotry and discrimination.

The party condemned the acts, which they said were racist, agitatory and provocative.

Bhengu-Motsiri said these acts were also criminally punishable by law and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by “peace-loving South Africans”.

“This is a grim reminder of the categorisation of blacks as illegal immigrants who must be deported to the Eastern Cape. This is a further reminder of a well-orchestrated plan for an independent Western Cape enclave exclusive to the minority as championed by the Democratic Alliance, supported by the fascist Cape Independents through the Powers Bill and plans of secession,” she said.

Bhengu-Motsiri explained that as the country celebrated 30 years of democracy, this was a re-enactment of the subversive acts of racist bigots and right-wing elements who during negotiations for a peaceful settlement, on the eve of the 1994 elections, sought to sabotage the birth of the new democratic order.

She referred to the perpetrators wanting to “…plunge the country into chaos as they did with the storming of CODESA, the 1992 Boipatong massacre, township bombings, threats of water poisoning, and at worst, the assassination of Comrade Chris Hani in order to perpetuate racist minority rule,” she said.

She stated that racists had brazenly nailed their colours to the mast.

“We have walked this painful path before. As a movement we are committed towards defending the democratic State and its gains, to advance freedom in our quest for nonracial society,” she said.

Bhengu-Motsiri highlighted that the ANC reiterated, as a reaffirmation of the Constitution, the nature and character of the country that South Africa as a unitary State.