Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul has described the establishment of Afrikaner settlement Orania in the Karoo as “an addiction to white supremacy”.
Speaking to Sunday World just days after he was re-elected leader of the ANC in the province, he vehemently opposed the idea of Orania intentionally isolating itself from other communities.
“I think it does not have much to do with the Afrikaner culture because minority groups can still preserve their distinct identity and culture in a cosmopolitan environment. This thing of staying alone and excluding any other race in a non-racial society does not make sense to me,” he reiterated.
Saul had yet to see the memorandum at the time of the interview, but mentioned that it was impossible to dismantle Orania when it is not a town.
He went on to refute claims that he signed an agreement to protect Orania as part of their horse-trading with Freedom Front Plus (FF+) following last year’s provincial and national elections. He maintains that the ANC’s national negotiation team refused to give in to the Orania demand.
“They made some requests and said they want the portfolio committee of cooperative governance, which we gave to them. There was another document, on the status of Orania, and with that, we said we must submit it to the national negotiation team, but they looked into it and decided that they cannot agree to it,” he said.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Northern Cape last week marched to Saul’s office in Kimberley where they presented a memorandum demanding the review of Orania’s status. They asserted that its existence contradicts both the spirit and letter of the Constitution.
EFF provincial chairperson Shadrack Tlhaole wants the government to intervene as the existence of Orania could further worsen tensions between black and white South Africans.
“I am going to be a resident of Orania, I am going with my collective, the leadership of the EFF. I am going to fight tooth and nail to be one society, we are going to be inclusive,” he said at the march.
Hitting back at the EFF, the FF+ emphasised the importance of Afrikaners mobilising politically and otherwise to “protect” themselves.
“The EFF is right about one thing, though: Orania is more than a place; it represents an idea. Contrary to the EFF’s view, however, that idea is freedom. And because freedom is a timeless ideal, Orania will not fall,” the party said in a statement.
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