South African facebook photo. The photo on Facebook in which a white man poses with a rifle over the apparently lifeless body of a black child is “sick and horrifying” and should be denounced by every forward-thinking South African, the Independent Democrats said yesterday.

“Whenever we see or experience racism of any form, as a society we should all condemn it in the strongest possible terms. If we fail to do so, we will simply allow this kind of sick behaviour to permeate and grow in our society,” said ID secretary-general Haniff Hoosen.

The image, first published in the Sunday Times, is on the profile of a user called “Eugene Terrorblanche”, a play on the name of slain Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging leader Eugene Terre’Blanche.

“Terrorblanche” had 583 “friends” on the social networking site by yesterday, seven fewer than on Saturday.

On his profile, he listed knives, firearms and weapons as his interests, and self-defence, close-combat fighting, weapons training and shooting as his activities.

“To some extent this image represents the deep hatred that some sections of our society still harbour towards other races.

“Fortunately, this is in the minority, as the large majority of South Africans have embraced the vision of a united South Africa that we have all fought for,” Hoosen said in a statement.

This behaviour should be condemned, and all forms of racism reported, he added.

The ID called on anyone with information to contact the authorities.

DA leader Helen Zille said the party was “horrified by the picture”.

“Whether or not the picture is genuine, it represents a scene of extreme violence perpetrated against a child by a man. The intention is to evoke racial hatred and polarisation,” she said in a statement.

Earlier yesterday, the Police Ministry warned that there should not be a racial connection made to the picture.

“Even if the child was white, or the man was black… once you narrow it down to a racial aspect it becomes problematic. Murder is murder,” Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s spokesman Zweli Mnisi said.

Mthethwa had ordered an immediate investigation and called on the man in the photo – or anyone who knows him – to come forward to assist in the probe.

It was early in the investigation, but if the picture was authentic, the responsible person must be prosecuted, he said. There must also be another person involved, as someone took the photograph.

If the photo was digitally manipulated, it was inciting violence and there were connotations to violence, Mnisi pointed out.

Everyone partly responsible in the posting of the picture, or whoever created the profile and those who have seen it, but failed to report it, could face prosecution.

“There are so many questions that need to be answered,” he added.

The ministry first became aware of the picture on Saturday when it was approached for comment by the Sunday Times.

“From us as police, we see this as shocking,” Mnisi said.

Child advocacy groups said the production and dissemination of the photo violated several laws.