DEFENCE Minister Mosiuoa Lekota says he cannot rule out racism as a motive for the shooting of a naval officer by a subordinate at Simon’s Town. “It’s not impossible that it was racial,” he said, adding that racism was endemic to South African society. However, South Africans were generally quick to resort to extreme violence to resolve problems, he said, adding that he was not convinced that racial tension in the navy was so high that it would result in such an incident and it may well have been a social quarrel between two young people. According to police, Sub-Lieutenant John Clarkson, 26, was shot dead while sleeping in his cabin aboard the minesweeper SAS East London. Able Seaman Wiseman Mchunu of Kwazulu-Natal allegedly fired two shots, hitting Clarkson in the head, and then turned the gun on himself.