One of the entrances to Orania, a whites-only town in the Northern Cape.
Image: Boxer Ngwenya/System
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Northern Cape have formally called for a review of Orania’s status, urging that it be evaluated in line with the South African Constitution and applicable national legislation.
The party argued that Orania, a predominantly Afrikaans enclave with an estimated population of 3,000, undermines national unity and continues to promote ideologies reminiscent of the apartheid era.
The EFF maintains that such a socio-political model stands in direct opposition to the constitutional principles of equality, inclusivity, and non-racialism, which are foundational to the democratic values of South Africa.
In an interview with the SABC, EFF Provincial Chairperson Shadrack Tlhaole said the EFF was ready to challenge the area.
Shadrack said that his party was raising a profound concern that needed both blacks and whites.
“We are taking our march and continuing with our march to the premier’s office, demanding what we have said, and that will continue.
“Orania should be abolished, and Orania is not what we should appreciate and accept as the EFF,” Tlhaole said.
The EFF has announced a planned march to the office of Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul in Kimberley on April 22.
This follows unsuccessful engagements with the leadership of Orania and representatives of the Freedom Front Plus (FF+).
The EFF has strongly criticised Orania’s emphasis on Afrikaner self-determination, arguing that it fosters ethnic division and could embolden similar separatist sentiments in provinces such as the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.
The party warns that such ideologies threaten national cohesion and undermine the constitutional principles of a united South Africa.
In response, Orania's leadership, including Joost Strydom and Wynand Boshoff, maintain that the town is a lawful cultural initiative aimed at preserving Afrikaner heritage and promoting self-sufficiency.
They insist that Orania operates within the framework of the South African Constitution and reject allegations of racial exclusion or discrimination, asserting that the town maintains cooperative relationships with surrounding communities.
“We didn’t agree on everything, which one would have expected, but it’s very good to hear the different perspectives,” Wynand Boshoff, FF+’s provincial leader said.
Critics of the EFF's position argue that the party is deflecting from urgent national challenges such as unemployment, poverty, and economic instability.
They also note Orania's limited demographic and political influence, questioning the national significance the EFF assigns to the town.
This domestic controversy unfolds against a backdrop of escalating international tensions.
Relations between EFF leader Julius Malema and former US President Donald Trump have deteriorated, with Trump labeling Malema an international threat.
In a controversial move, the US cut financial aid to South Africa, citing alleged injustices against white citizens—particularly white farmers—following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s signing of the Expropriation Act.
The Act allows land expropriation without compensation in pursuit of land reform and public interest objectives.
The convergence of domestic discontent and global scrutiny underscores the fragile balance between cultural autonomy and national unity—an issue South Africa continues to grapple with, with no clear resolution in sight.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
IOL Politics