Residents of Orania town in South Africa. Photo Credit: Reddit
Located along the Orange River in the dry Karoo region of Northern Cape Province, Orania has been the subject of many discourses, both in Africa and abroad, particularly because of its apparent racial bias. Orania, a Whites-only town, was established in 1994 by Carel Boshoff III, the son-in-law of the architect of the deadly Apartheid in South Africa, H.F. Verwoerd.
Boshoff III and several other White South Africans bought an abandoned workers village during the last phase of Apartheid and turned it into a Whites-only town where the majority Blacks were and are still not allowed to reside.
According to historical accounts, the aim of establishing the town was to create a stronghold for White South Africans and protect the Afrikaner identity by keeping their language and culture alive.
For many years, critics have accused Orania authorities of rejecting the concept of a Rainbow Nation and attempting to recreate the idea of White supremacy, more than two decades after the end of Apartheid.
No Black South African or any other person who is not an Afrikaner is allowed to reside in Orania town, even if they speak Afrikaans or are married to an Afrikaner.
Residents of the town, which is estimated to host about 1,300 people, are often screened by a special committee and new applications are rigorously vetted to remove any pretenders to their cause.
Orania’s relationship with the rest of South Africa is non-confrontational and although many oppose the community’s aspirations, the government of South Africa recognizes the town as legitimate.
Even so, the notion that a certain community can segregate itself from the rest of the world on the basis of skin color, language, sexuality, or religion is parochial and discriminatory.
Culture Erosion and Crime
The residents of Orania contend that their self-imposed segregation comes out of the desire to preserve their linguistic and cultural heritage and to protect themselves from the high levels of crime in the rest of South Africa.
Although not all Afrikaners in South Africa live in Orania, most of them support the idea of having an Afrikaner-only town as it makes them feel secure, thus minimizing tensions in the rest of the country.
Many of them liken the town to Israel, which serves as a safe haven for Jews from all over the world.
The majority of residents in this small town say they used to be regular victims of violent crime before relocating to Orania.
South Africa has one of Africa’s highest crime rates, with the majority of crimes committed by the Blacks.
Despite the significant steps that have been taken towards eradicating racial discrimination in South Africa, racial attacks are still very common in the country, with Blacks accusing Whites of advancing bigotry agendas that were common during Apartheid.
Many critics view the establishment of a Whites-only town in a Rainbow Nation such as South Africa as a way of advancing the dishonorable concept of White supremacy.
This is not to say that White people in South Africa or any other part of the world shouldn’t protect themselves if they feel threatened. However, they should do so without disregarding the dignity other people, be they Black or Yellow.
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View Comments
Sorry but you are talking nonsense, have you actually done any research on this town, how it operates and what South Africans of all colors think of it.
Its whites only meaning they do everything themselves and the land is not exactly some magical Eden, it is a tough land and they have to work very hard to get anything to grow.
No blacks are oppressed there and they have good relations with the neighboring black communities
This slapdash journalism which lacks depth is rather sad
Who cares what people think? What matters is the concrete reality. Of course some white man had to come and to come to the defense of white supremacy. If no blacks live there then of course no blacks are oppressed there...
This slapdash comment which lacks depth (and honesty) is rather sad.
What supremacy, they want to live apart and ask nothing except that they be left alone
There are plenty of articals on it and I doubt you have ever visited even though you would be treated well by the inhabitants.
Some white man lives in SA and doesnt particularly care for their ideas, but as far I can see they are not hurting anyone.
It helps if you think of them as a tribe and this their tribal land, which makes sense if you look at the selection criteria
The two main criteria are that you must respect Afrikaner traditions and the Afrikaans language, and you must respect the Christian religion.
As I said you are just on your hobby horse looking for something to offend you, especially from a white man.
You can be cool with segregation if you'd like. I'd rather not support white supremacy thank you very much.
Didnt say I support them, did I.
They wouldnt accept me into their community anyway, but be that as it may I still think they should be left alone unless they are actively causing problems.
This is actually a cultural issue and not a race issue, they are try to preserve their culture and language.
Look at it as been similar to the Mormons in america.
"What supremacy, they want to live apart and ask nothing except that they be left alone"
Supporting whites who want to segregate away from blacks is supporting them and supporting white supremacy. For language and culture; this is what racist segregationist have said for all time in all places. Give me a break.
The Mormons in America? Do you mean the little cults that are raping girls in Utah? Do you mean the mormons of old who did not allow blacks into the religion? You are using a religion with a racist, segregationist past as your example here? :D good stuff.
Hey if there was a black community that wanted to do this then I would have no problem with it. Hang there is, its called tribal land and you can only reside there if the chief agrees to let you.
You have quite a chip on your shoulder there, is it heavy?
Are you by chance an american?
They don't get to claim a part of the Earth for white people to segregate and not be racist. It's rather simple and your claims of culture and whatnot, just no.... Take an cultural anthropology course FFS.
So you are against private property and been allowed to do what you want on your property as long as it doesnt break the law?
With regard to your comment on culture why do you disagree?
Why don't they go back to europe, u kno their actual home?
You must know that all life started in Africa, the Afrikaner left Africa 2 million years ago, they spend some time in Europe and have been back for 400 years. Why should they move again?
Why must whites keep invading others home then complain about where they're at? Then wanna push supremacy against those who want nothing if them. So yea, go home and stay there!
Some whites in SA that go back over 200 years and they didnt have much choice in where they were born
If they can establish all white places, then they can go home and do the same. No excuse. Don't like the actual native people in their own ancestral homeland, then go home, period!
Where exactly is their ancestral homeland?
South Africa is their homeland.
Its amazing the hue and cry been kicked up all of a sudden over this. Especially since they are living peacefully there doing their own thing and actually doing it very well.
Are you a SAn?
Lol really dude? Their homeland isnin Europe. I can't teach u geography cuz u should learn that in school. But Africa and Europe are different continents. Nobody asked u europeans to invade their homeland, yet u guys love doin it. All across the globe at that! Then complain about immigration and don't like other races lol
They are african even president zuma said that the afrikaners are the only true tribe of white africans.
There wasnt anybody living on the piece of land they bought and have worked hard to make prosper.
The have more connection to african than most african americans.
When you say us guys who are you referring to since despite all the liberal propaganda, the so called white race theory falls flat since it is soley based on colour and fails to acknowledge that it is not a single homogenous race
True white africans? Can u be anymore oxymoronic? Lol
Silly american an african is a person born and bred in africa, same as an american is a person born and bred in america.
Still makes u a foreigner jus like european americans are. Ur home is europe.
And you?
Chahta siya hoke! I'm Choctaw. Im in my homeland, are u?
Nope, but returning there for good in may, Alba gu brath.
The biggest issue with the afrikaners is that you are looking at a people whose history in SA goes back over 300 years and as a result their culture is unique to sa and has lost any tangible link to europe.
Most white south afrikans are a rather mixed up bunch in terms of ancestory which makes claiming a specific one difficult. We did a excersise at varsity one day where the lecturer went round asking us who we were, we had xhosa,venda, sotho, south sotho, zulu, pedi, coulered, afrikaans, chinese etc but when she asked me i said south african. Beyond that my ancestory is a mix of irish, scottish, french, welsh, dutch, afrikaans, german etc. My kids are even more as my wife has scottish irish, lebanese, greek and italian blood. It Irked my lecturer but it was the truth.
But thats in the past, thanks to a stroke of luck we will be returning to bonnie scotland.
I find it quite funny how uptight people are getting over this, Orania was a crappy piece of ground that these people legally purchased and have worked really hard to transfer in a flourishing little community that keeps to itself. They oppress no one and do all the work themselves. They have been visted by black leaders of the ANC and EFF who while they dont tjink tjey should cut themselves off are okay with leaving them be. The majority of whites think they are a bit nuts.
Notice u didn't say ur black african. Jus because your people invaded a place 300 years ago doesn't make it right for u all to stay in their or my home. Period!
So after how many years do they become naturalised?
When they are invited to do so. Maybe even apologize and make up for the damage caused. Maybe when true racism and bigotry is truely abolished. That might start things off
GO BACK TO CENTRAL AFRICA SIR. The fact that there is a HUGE continent where certain people lived in certain places, does not mean they can wander everywhere, screaming, MINE MINE MINE, and claiming it for themselves. Africa is very big. Enough space, I would think
According to its founders, the purpose of Orania is to create a town where the preservation of Afrikanerdom's cultural heritage is strictly observed and Afrikaner selfwerksaamheid ("self reliance") is an actual practice, not just an idea. All jobs, from management to manual labour, are filled by Afrikaners only; non-Afrikaner workers are not permitted unless they have skills no resident has. "We do not want to be governed by people who are not Afrikaners", said Potgieter, the previous chairman. "Our culture is being oppressed and our children are being brainwashed to speak English.
Do you want to and live there
The area around the town is semi-arid.[59] Orania is part of the Nama Karoo biome, and receives 200-250mm of rain a year.[60] More than 30,000 trees have been planted in Orania and the surrounding farmlands.[16] Prospective residents are warned of the inclement weather conditions, with extreme temperature differences between summer and winter
Apparently its popular with black tourist. Sort of like township tours.
you are stupid or what? with your logic, the entire humanity would live in africa... you are dutch, ok netherland is shit, but you are from here.
So skin colour determines where you should live?
I don't know what I am, exactly, maybe bit of German.... Irish.... maybe some Dutch...., but I'm beautiful. Btw. Holland is clean, prosperous, and beautiful as well, and Africa as a whole, is mostly shit. Please buy me a ticket to Europe and a few Million Euro's. And then I'll inform all the Africans in Europe, that they must go back to Africa, Then you can go back to Central Africa, and the Koi and Koi-San, who were here before everybody else, can rightfully re occupy this country. Rimo , you are so SPECIAL
to me this is bullshit and a slap in the face to the people of tht country. thts like us taking our own spot in england or where the fuck yall truely originated from and so no whites allowed. period. we r self reliant so it makes no difference to the surrounding cities on what we allow. shit. our blk asses would b dead sure enough. this to me is sad . and shows what type of ppl still exist . but i blame africa. they should rise up and push all the bullshit out of their country period.
This article is full of bull and I suggest you visit the place before you make up your mind
Ian wake up and smell the black coffee, you are in Africa. Why are we not allowed to reside on this land since you are defending this place so much?
you reside where you are. There are other Africans that does not share your culture and value systems.
We have the strange concept in SA called private property wherby you exchange this thing called currency in order to purchase a specified area of land. You are then entiteled to do what you want on said land as long it is within the bounds of the constitution.
FYI you do not own the mineral rights those belong to the government.
They are south africans so they have a right to live there, as for wanting to live apart let them they are not hurting or suppressing anyone.
Its built on a private farm.
Both the EFF and the ANC have visited there and are willing to leave them alone.
You talk about been self reliant and that is what they are, also the land is very tough to work so its not some sort of magical eden.
You Americans are really quite funny about something that the majority of africans in SA are not paticulary concerned about
FYI these people have no link to Europe beyond their skin colour,
You could not survive on your own even if you tried. Just look at Zim
survive on my own? clearly all of my ancestors survived on their own so wht would make me ne different . im damn sure a tax payin citizen like the rest. seems like yall cant survive with out the help of other cultures .
Please lady. Do not hate Westerners, and then wear your hair like a European. Be proud of your own hair, and we'll be proud of ours. And, how would your little heart feel if someone told you to go back to Central Africa, where your ancestors probably came from. Oh well, I'm going to cry myself to sleep now.
??? well i knw exactly where me and the hair on my head origanted from and white ppl arent one of them. do ur research . ppl r so blind to facts tht they dnt even realize tht eygpt is in fact part of africa . yes the land of milk and honey. the land ur syphillis infested ancestors continuosly rape and pilliage . and as far as someone telling me to go bk home ... id b glad to. if africa was soooo bad y r ur ppl still goin and settling there. exhibit A . furthermore tellin me to go bk somewhere ur ppl stole me away from #classic
white people love to defend the bullshit their race subjects the rest of the world too
every thing is about race with blacks .... jealous ...
Awwww, shame, another "I feel sorry for myself" little person
At what point does white stop been white?
At least our bullshit works.
lol afrikaneers are dutchs, that's it, this colonisation has to stop, and the afrikaneers have to go back in their country : Netherland. ok it's a shit country, but it's where they come from!
Of dutch descent, their culture is born of africa and they have no link to europe beyond skin colour.
You are even more stupid than the writer of the article. What is an Afrikaneer? There is no such this, it is AFRIKANER, and not all Afrikaners are Dutch, little man, there are Germans and English among them
Interesting perspectives. I find these contributions insightful. Now my views:
I hate to be excluded from a town on the grounds that I am not an Afrikaner. In an independent South Africa, I believe people must be allowed to live wherever they like; that's what indepebdence entails, I believe.
However, there is nothing wrong in preserving a group's culture, or avoiding crime-infested neighborhoods. We all want safe havens, and not all of us have criminal minds! But I think there are other ways of achieving such noble objectives; creating a town that is for Afrikaners only, in post-apartheid South Africa, is definitely not the best solution. The next thing that community would seek is self-determination, and South Africa will soon have 3 countries on it's soil, one of which will be very racist since no people from other races are allowed in Orania.
Nevertheless, I don't blame the residents of Orania. I believe what they are doing is within the parameters of the constitution of South Africa. If what is taking place in Orania is is illegal, I expect the government of South Africa or any law-abiding citizen to take the issue to the courts.
All you people saying we Afrikaners must go back to some place in Europe, must then also insist that ALL Africans in Europe must go back to Africa. You sir, can kindly buy my plane ticket and sort me out with a few million Euro, then I might think about it. Cheers
Obviously the writer of this rubbish is not an Afrikaner and does not have the slightest idea of what is happening in the country. The poll question suggest that he is not just a poor writer of rubbish, but is also a racist.
I doubt he did any true research for this artical beyond google.
Even so, the notion that a certain community can segregate itself from
the rest of the world on the basis of skin color, language, sexuality,
or religion is parochial and discriminatory.
Isn't that what every country in the world does already.
Just a last word to all the people who wrote comments here. You are all typical of the problem in SA - you have very small minds, you believe all the crap people tell you and you are the most racist bunch of bigots I have ever seen together in one place
I think some are americans not SAns, so dont be to hard on them.
You obviously have not watched the racist spewings of the sham-of -a South African President and other black political organizations that jealously and criminally demonize white people here. Also to take the heat off their black, criminal, state-capturing corruption.
Oh man, it's an Asian women's dream!!
I wonder if a large amount of the criticism is not due to jealously over the fact that they are successful in their endeavor and are not actually oppressing anyone?
They are apparently on good terms with most of the local African tribes and their methods of self sufficiency have been shown as a good example of how to do it.
Here a thought why dont you armchair SJW lot get of your rear ends and go and visit to make an informed decision.
Personally I have no interest in visiting there.
Of course. The more Orania - and organisations like Solidarity - succeed, the worse it makes South Africa look.
Thats not hard to do.