Nazier Paulsen also called on supporters to locate the IP addresses of independence supporters in a social media post on Sunday
In a post on X on Sunday, Nazier Paulsen, a Cape-based MP for the EFF, called for the execution of Cape independence supporters.
This followed a call by Paulsen for his followers to find the IP addresses of secessionists and locate where they live.
Paulsen has issued similar statements in the past, though the EFF has no intention of disciplining him, effectively giving his position tacit endorsement:
The EFF media office, contacted this morning for a response, has issued an official statement of "no comment".
Official statements from various elements of the Cape independence movement condemned Nazier's outburst in varying degrees. Phil Craig of the Referendum Party, a single-issue party aiming to pressure the DA for a referendum by targeting its voter base, stated that:
"I think Nazier Paulsen's comment, that Cape independence supporters should be lined up in front of a wall and shot, is of course absolutely appalling, almost certainly illegal, and is what we've come to expect from Nazier Paulsen and the EFF. I think people need to remember that Cape independence is being pursued peacefully and lawfully in accordance with the South African Constitution and international law, and is simply about democracy, and the Western Cape people claiming their right to self-determination, which will be determined in a democratic referendum.
Ultimately, we're probably not going to take any action, because this is Nazier Paulsen, and frankly, you know, the man's a bit of an idiot, and simply isn't worth our time, we've got more important things to be bothered with."
Dr Corné Mulder of the Vryheidsfront Plus, which also supports Cape independence as part of its broader policy of self-determination, issued a statement underlining the lawfulness of the movement:
"Self-determination is a recognised principle in section 235 of the SA Constitution. That section was certified by the Constitutional Court to be in line with the prescribed constitutional principles contained in schedule 4 of the Interim Constitution. The pursuit of self-determination by people in the WC is a legitimate cause and constitutional."
