A peaceful ANC march against racism through the streets of Ballito nearly exploded into racial violence when an irate motorist reportedly insulted the marchers by calling them the K-word.
The march came to a stand-still in the middle of the busiest intersection in Ballito, the M4/Ballito Drive crossing, where leaders delivered speeches and a memorandum was handed over.
The blockade affected traffic flow into and out of Ballito as far back as the N2 highway and motorists became irate.
One man lost his temper and reportedly blurted out the K-word, igniting a highly volatile situation.
Marchers aggressively pounded on the car’s roof bonnet and windows, shouting and swearing at the driver.
Meanwhile, one of the marchers ran around to the other side of the car and slapped the man in the face before he managed to make a u-turn and drive away.
Police speedily contained the situation and matters continued peacefully.
Under the watchful eye of a heavy police presence and aside from the one incident, the placard swinging march went off peacefully with people singing and dancing in the streets while speakers blasted music from the back of a bakkie at the tail end of the procession.
Curious Ballito residents and business people peeped out of their homes and businesses to view the spectacle passing through.
Some onlookers took pictures and videos of a young man who called himself Selfie Phanda, pretending to shooting at them with a fake gun which he claimed symbolised the peace in South Africa.
“Those who are not satisfied to stay with us in this country must pack up and go to America or wherever,” he said.
After numerous bouts of chanting “viva ANC, viva” and replies of “amandla”, copies of a “war on racism” memorandum were handed over to SAPS cluster commander, Brigadeer Bheki Zonde and DOCRRA, represented by chairman Dave Charles.
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