Far right in South Africa foiled in plot to poison water in townships

A group of far right-wing whites planned to kill millions of black South Africans by poisoning water supplies to the inhabitants of townships near Johannesburg, the country's spy agency has revealed.

A group calling itself the Boere Vryheids Aksie (BVA) planned to poison the water supplied to at least three large townships, according to the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). The BVA also planned to destroy electricity and transport networks to the same areas, and plotted to set off bombs made from plastic explosives and other substances in the national parliament building in Cape Town.

In the plan to contaminate water supplies, tetranium, an agricultural poison, would have been poured into reservoirs serving Soweto, Atteridgeville, Soshanguve and Laudium, home to at least 10 million people in all. The plot was thwarted by the NIA in collaboration with the police force, but details of how it was foiled have not been disclosed.

Karl Lubonot, a chemistry specialist, said the plot to poison water supplies would have failed because of the large amount of chemicals needed.

The revelation comes in the wake of investigations into bombings which killed a woman and injured others in Soweto. The explosions were blamed on fanatical far right-wingers unable to come to terms with South Africa's 1994 all-race elections. A number of white extremists have been arrested as a result.

The discovery of a large arms cache, including spike chains to ambush vehicles and 26 bombs, in Northern Cape province this week is being seen as a further sign of the determination of the far right.

Some extremists have announced that they will form a political party that seeks to turn South Africa's Western Cape province into a separate republic. It would have its own passports, monetary system and stock exchange.

Philip Myburgh, of the Cape Party, said their goal of becoming a separate republic was not a pipe dream. "We are not an opposition party, we see ourselves as a government in waiting," said Mr Myburgh, a wealthy farmer.