Issued by African National Congress
April 19 2000
The African National Congress views in a very serious light the shooting of a black woman in the Free State town of Orania at the weekend, in what was apparently a racial attack.
We condemn this dastardly, cowardly act in the strongest possible terms and call on the police to spare no effort to bring the perpetrators to book. We further appeal to the judiciary to show no mercy when sentencing anybody convicted of a racially motivated crime.
The frequency of such cases is disturbing and can be attributed to the fact that in recent cases whites have come away with light sentences for vicious attacks on their Black compatriots. Such sentences send out wrong signals and have the danger of giving white racists the impression that the judiciary does not take attacks on Blacks seriously. This has to be corrected sooner rather than later.
Any person, or any group of people, who still believe they can take our country back to the dark ages of the apartheid era must be ruthlessly shown that they are making a dangerous mistake. There can be no place for racist malcontents in a civilised society.
It is to be regretted that such stupid acts of barbarism can still take place in our country six years into our new democratic dispensation where racial bigotry is supposed to be a thing of the past. This and other similar incidents vindicate us when we say that the problem of racism is still a serious one in our country.
Every South African has a moral obligation to put their shoulder to wheel and join hands with those who have made it their duty to eradicate once and for all, from the face of the earth, the monster called racism.
Issued by Nat Serache
Department of Information and Publicity
51 Plein Street
Johannesburg 2001
Contact number: 082 416 3150