Inside South Africa's whites-only town of Orania

6 October 2014




In the sparsely populated Karoo desert in the heart of South Africa's Northern Cape, apartheid lives on.
I spent a few days in Orania, one of just a few black people to have set foot in the whites-only town since its establishment in 1991.
Part of a BBC crew, including Zimbabwean journalist Stanley Kwenda, we were given permission to visit.

And during that time, Stanley and I were the only black people in the town of 1,000 - an unusual experience in latter-day South Africa.
Racial interaction is not welcome in the Afrikaner-only town, where only Afrikaans is spoken, because of fears about "diluting culture".
"We do not fit in easily in the new South Africa. It [Orania] was an answer to not dominating others and not being dominated by others," says Carel Boschoff Jr, the community leader.

Mr Boschoff inherited the town from his father Carel Boschoff Snr, an Afrikaner intellectual and son-in-law of apartheid architect, Hendrik Verwoerd.


The town was founded by Mr Boschoff Snr as a registered company three years before white-minority rule ended in the rest of the country.
Mr Verwoerd's grandson tells me that his people were faced with a tough question about their future when the black government was elected in 1994.

"In terms of Afrikaners who had been standing very close to the state, when the policies such as black economic empowerment and affirmative action came into place, Afrikaners needed to seriously think about their future. It wouldn't make sense not to," he said.
Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) was introduced to encourage more black participation in business.

We were taken on a guided tour of the town's facilities by John Strydom, a retired doctor.

The town's leaders insist that Orania is misunderstood. "We are not against black people. We are for ourselves," is the message they stress.
However, black people cannot live here.

Prospective residents are screened by the town council using a strict criterion, which includes first and foremost being an ethnic Afrikaner.
It is not enough to simply speak Afrikaans, as is the case with many black and mixed-race South Africans.
Eerie place As we sat down with Mr Boschoff for a cup of what the cafe described as "proper Boere [Afrikaner] tea… strong", I took in some of the surroundings.

At the entrance of the gated community was a statue of Mr Verwoed, one of a few of the apartheid-era prime ministers, and the Orania flag - with similar colours to the old republic's orange, white and blue horizontal stripes - which hung proudly.
The town was quiet; the sound of birds and rustling leaves interrupted by a few cars passing by. It is an eerie place for an outsider.


The town boasts amenities such as shops, hair salons, a library, a post office, a hotel, a couple of schools - and churches, a lot of churches.
But beneath the surface of this solitude lurks a fear that leads people to abandon high-paying jobs in the city for lowly jobs in this arid land.
"The levels of crime and violent crimes in South Africa are definitely pushing powers that bring people to Orania. Many of them have been victims of crimes," says Mr Boschoff.

South Africa is considered to be one of the most violent societies in the world, with one of the highest murder rates.
Official statistics suggest that most crimes actually happen in poor communities between people known to each other, but this has not stopped the fear of crime in other communities.

'Little giant' As a result, Orania officials say the town has had an annual growth rate of nearly 10% since its inception.
The Akrikaner community's totem is "the little giant", a man with rolled-up sleeves who features in the flag and the local currency, the Ora which is pegged to the South African rand.



The people do their own work from gardening to plumbing, bricklaying and waste-collection - jobs usually done by black labourers in the rest of the country.



"It takes some adjusting to. It is more difficult for some people because they are used to how things were done in South Africa, they are not used to manual labour," says Mr Strydom.

The locals explain that one of the goals in Orania is to help create a generation of pure Afrikaners untouched by the "outside world".
Bizarrely, the town's existence is protected by South Africa's constitution through a clause that ensures the right to self-determination - introduced to reassure those unhappy about the transition to democracy.

With its old Cape-Dutch styled houses it is like stepping back in time, but some families fear this place could eventually be too small for their children.

'Respect' Theunie Kruger moved from Johannesburg about a month ago after he was offered a job in Orania.

Mr Kruger says his two children are enjoying life in the countryside but he and his wife are preparing them for a world where there is not just one race or culture.
"There is no tertiary institution here for example. They need to be equipped to handle the outside world," says Mr Kruger.


"I teach them that there is no difference in skin colour. I teach them if they respect the people in Orania they must also respect the people outside Orania," his wife Annelize adds.

The couple say they are still adjusting to Orania's "rules", which include getting permission from the town council before receiving visitors.
"We understand it but it's a bit frustrating at times," Mr Kruger says.

'Defend with our lives' At the local bar, framed newspaper articles hang on the wall and Afrikaner memorabilia adorns the place.
The owner, Quinton Diedrichs, is well-travelled but became disillusioned with South Africa and moved to Orania with his wife, a beauty therapist, about four years ago.


"It's very safe here. We sleep with the doors unlocked. You can walk in the street at 3am without any fear. You don't have that where you live," he tells me.

He blames FW de Klerk, the last Afrikaner to rule South Africa, for the plight of his people.
Continue reading the main story

“We can't get jobs. It's like we are being punished for the past”
Drinker in an Orania bar


"He gave away the country for nothing. We had the army," he says and stops abruptly, beginning to shake his head.
Inside the dimly-lit pub, a game of rugby is on the TV, apart from a few odd glances, no-one seems to pay much attention to Stanley or me.
A few more locals do come over to our table and conversation is polite and largely politically correct, much like in the rest of South Africa.
The pernicious issue of jobs and pro-black policies rears its head.

One local explains it as "reverse racism".

"We can't get jobs. It's like we are being punished for the past," he says.

They seem oblivious to the oppression of black South Africans during apartheid. For them it was a system that gave order.
As the sun sets, the bronze busts of Afrikaner leaders spanning over many decades - Paul Kruger, JBM Herzog, DF Malan, JG Stridom and, of course, Mr Verwoerd - look protectively over the town.

Held in disdain elsewhere, they are Orania's heroes - yet it is difficult to see how the community will be able to remain so completely isolated in such an inter-connected world.

But as one pub drinker put it - being an Afrikaner in Orania is "something we will defend with our lives if we need to".






http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29475977

Volkstaat.

Sounds so very much like how the Amish people choose to live in the US. Can't really stop people from choosing where & how to live, just as long as they're not troubling anybody.

So, what's the point of this thread?

I think these white people are looking for a sense of belonging. While it is nice to mix up with people from all walks of life, it is also comforting to return "home". Many black South Africans work & live in urban areas, but every December, the majority go "home" to what we call "emakhaya" "mahaeng" etc. Home is usually rural Transkei for the Xhosa people, Limpopo for the Sepedi speaking people etc. These returns to "home" connects many to their roots, their culture etc. So I see no problem if whites seek a place to call home to be able to drink their mampoer or do whatever white people do when they get together. Free country. We all have a place to drink our umqombothi with our own kind without an uproar from any group within our lovely country.

Let them keep their desert. Who cares? It's not like anyone is dying to live there anyway. We have our own places we call home & so should they. We're on even ground, I guess.

Mountain out of a molehill, much? This Orania place, I'm guessing, must have been in existence from quite some time & hasn't stopped any other race of South Africans from living their lives. It's nothing more than the little town inside a flower petal in Dr Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! South Africa is still one South Africa & no droughty little Hicks town is going to change that.

Whew. Moving on..

LaBellaMafiaZA:
I think these white people are looking for a sense of belonging. While it is nice to mix up with people from all walks of life, it is also comforting to return "home". Many black South Africans work & live in urban areas, but every December, the majority go "home" to what we call "emakhaya" "mahaeng" etc. Home is usually rural Transkei for the Xhosa people, Limpopo for the Sepedi speaking people etc. These returns to "home" connects many to their roots, their culture etc. So I see no problem if whites seek a place to call home to be able to drink their mampoer or do whatever white people do when they get together. Free country. We all have a place to drink our umqombothi with our own kind without an uproar from any group within our lovely country.
Let them keep their desert. Who cares? It's not like anyone is dying to live there anyway. We have our own places we call home & so should they. We're on even ground, I guess.
Mountain out of a molehill, much? This Orania place, I'm guessing, must have been in existence from quite some time & hasn't stopped any other race of South Africans from living their lives. It's nothing more than the little town inside a flower petal in Dr Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! South Africa is still one South Africa & no droughty little Hicks town is going to change that.
Whew. Moving on..

Anytime White people cluster and seek self determination as their fore fathers did, its a dangerous thing for people of color.

morpheus24:


Anytime White people cluster and seek self determination as their fore fathers did, its a dangerous thing for people of color.

And thankfully, we havent developed amnesia so we'll know exactly how to deal with them. They had an advantage back then, our ancestors werent well armed. Now, we'd resort to "one settler, one bullet". End of story. Nobody has time to deal with long years of stank attitude. We are still the majority after all & we quite enjoy kicking arse Believe me, they know

LaBellaMafiaZA:


And thankfully, we havent developed amnesia so we'll know exactly how to deal with them. They had an advantage back then, our ancestors werent well armed. Now, we'd resort to "one settler, one bullet". End of story. Nobody has time to deal with long years of stank attitude. We are still the majority after all & we quite enjoy kicking arse Believe me, they know

Kwaaa.
Dream on.

Apatheist:

Kwaaa.
Dream on.

K.

LaBellaMafiaZA:

And thankfully, we havent developed amnesia so we'll know exactly how to deal with them. They had an advantage back then, our ancestors werent well armed. Now, we'd resort to "one settler, one bullet". End of story. Nobody has time to deal with long years of stank attitude. We are still the majority after all & we quite enjoy kicking arse Believe me, they know

False sense of comfort, a mistake they will never make. You just don't know White people. Their history alludes you my dear.

morpheus24:


False sense of comfort, a mistake they will never make. You just don't know White people. Their history alludes you my dear.

And you know them? Morph, please don't bore me on this lovely Thursday.

morpheus24:


False sense of comfort, a mistake they will never make. You just don't know White people. Their history alludes you my dear.

And you know them? Morpheus, please dont bore me on this lovely thursday.

i actually like that, let them seperate and be of their own. really black people, you don't understand. black kills white naturally. the black gene is dominant, so the next generation of south africa will be black if they mix. now while there alone, they are seriously planning a all black wipe out, or they may have already planned it. so black brothers and sisters, the indian brothers and sisters, sit tight and armor up yourselves. educate yourselves and unite. they are up to no good (white people, not all).

LaBellaMafiaZA:

And you know them.

There really isn't much difference with a White SA vs a White Australian or European for that matter.

They invented the concept of "Race"
They are terribly frightened of extinction because their genes are recessive
They will never give up their privileges to become equal with you.
They mask their insecurities by creating philosophies that puts everyone else subordinate to them.

They will never change.

There once was a group of Afrikaners long before these guys who were so unhappy about being ruled by the British that they decided to migrate to Argentina. Apparently there's a town in Argentina that now has a few hundred descendants of these Afrikaner "pioneers".

morpheus24:


There really isn't much difference with a White SA vs a White Australian or European for that matter.

They invented the concept of "Race"
They are terribly frightened of extinction because their genes are recessive
They mask their insecurities by creating philosophies that puts everyone else subordinate to them.

They will never change.

They can always relocate to Australia then if they are so afraid of extinction, nobody stopped them the 1st time around. TBH, I really don't care about white issues & whatnot. No interest of mine. All I know is that if they start their old ways again, we're not going to sit back & let it happen. Over our dead bodies. If it happened again, I'll know for certain that we are one mumu nation. Time will tell. We have history as a teacher already, so...yeah. Why are we even discussing the impossible

This is why I like Bob Mugabe. He doesn't tolerate this type of nonsense. By now those folks would have been on the plane back to Europe or wherever they came from.

ROSSIKE:
This is why I like Bob Mugabe. He doesn't tolerate this type of nonsense. By now those folks would have been on the plane back to Europe or wherever they came from.

Robber Mugarbage? LMFAO.

Apatheist:

Robber Mugarbage? LMFAO.

In all honesty, the likes of you especially, since you're coming across as very smug deserve the Mugabe treatment. As if Piss Butta was any different from Mugabe.

You told me to keep dreaming & boet I'll tell you this, just try it one more time & we will see who has been living in dreamland. We will Terre Blanche all of you fvckers. Try it!

I know many blacks who are so eager to return the favour but can't due to laws & whatnot. But if S.A were to turn into a giant fighting ring, you'll get the rage that many are supressing just to keep the peace. Smug @sshole.

LaBellaMafiaZA:


In all honesty, the likes of you especially, since you're coming across as very smug deserve the Mugabe treatment. As if Piss Butta was any different from Mugabe.

Comparing Mugarbage to Botha?! Blasphemy!!

You told me to keep dreaming & boet I'll tell you this, just try it one more time & we will see who has been living in dreamland. We will Terre Blanche all of you fvckers. Try it!

LMAO. Keep dreaming, Bantu.

I know many blacks who are so eager to return the favour but can't due to laws & whatnot. But if S.A were to turn into a giant fighting ring, you'll get the rage that many are supressing just to keep the peace. Smug @sshole.

I'm scared of Julius Mampara's "rage" Help!


Just give us Volkstaat.
Let us live in peace.
We'll take the Northern Cape; it's ours, we were there first.

Apatheist:
Comparing Mugarbage to Botha?! Blasphemy!!

LMAO. Keep dreaming, Bantu.


I'm scared of Julius Mampara's "rage" Help!


Just give us Volkstaat.
Let us live in peace.
We'll take the Northern Cape; it's ours, we were there first.

Nobody cares about Vokstaat so you can have it. And you're not fooling anyone with your fake online bravado when you cant even shyt without a gun on one hand & a toilet paper on the other hand. Many of you in real life are feeling very unsafe, so much for the fearlessness you're trying so hard to portray here. We all know you're puccis.

LaBellaMafiaZA:


Nobody cares about Vokstaat so you can have it.

Not Orania. The whole Northern Cape.

And you're not fooling anyone with your fake online bravado when you cant even shyt without a gun on one hand & a toilet paper on the other hand. Many of you in real life are feeling very unsafe, so much for the fearlessness you're trying so hard to portray here. We all know you're puccis.

LMAO.
Stop projecting, bobbejaan..
Time will tell

Apatheist:
Not Orania. The whole Northern Cape.

LMAO.
Stop projecting, bobbejaan..
Time will tell

You're a delusional albino ape. Yeah, time will tell indeed.

All you're getting is the flaky little desert, deal with it.

LaBellaMafiaZA:


You're a delusional albino ape. Yeah, time will tell indeed.

All you're getting is the flaky little desert, deal with it.

Die tyd sal leer, bobbejaan.

Apatheist:

Die tyd sal leer, bobbejaan.

No doubt about that my albino ape or should I say sand ape since you all seem destined for that desert.

LaBellaMafiaZA:


No doubt about that my albino ape or should I say sand ape since you all seem destined for that desert.

Touché, bobbejaan.

Apatheist:

Touché, bobbejaan.

I'm glad you agree ape. Btw, lol at you trying to get the last word, just like Volkstaat, you're NOT going to get it. I can do this die hulle dag, poes.

LaBellaMafiaZA:


I'm glad you agree ape. Btw, lol at you trying to get the last word, just like Volkstaat, you're NOT going to get it. I can do this die hulle dag, poes.

Praat jy Afrikaans, tjop?

Apatheist:

Praat jy Afrikaans, tjop?

Ubuzi' bus ibhaliwe? Voetsek.

LaBellaMafiaZA:


Ubuzi' bus ibhaliwe? Voetsek.

I don't speak baboon, bobbejaan.

Apatheist:

I don't speak baboon, bobbejaan.

I don't give a fvck.

LaBellaMafiaZA:


I don't give a fvck.

Now she's speaking English.

Apatheist:


Now she's speaking English.

Like I have been speaking since the beginning of this thread. Not my problem if you have the memory of a golfish.