“They Hide Behind Culture”: 5 Surprising Stories Revealing Life in Orania
- Orania has attracted visitors from around the world seeking to understand why residents want to keep the Northern Cape town exclusively for Afrikaners
- Virtual tours and social media posts have given South Africans rare glimpses into daily life in the controversial town, showing everything from residential areas to historical monuments
- The town has sparked heated debates, with political leaders like Gayton McKenzie praising its infrastructure while criticising its exclusionary practices
Source: Getty Images
South Africa's controversial Afrikaner-only town of Orania continues to fascinate people both locally and abroad. Since the Expropriation Bill was signed in January, the town has been under even more scrutiny. These five stories offer a rare look at what life is really like inside this exclusive community.
Ghanaian visitor explores Orania
A man from Ghana, TikTok user @wode_maya, visited Orania to understand why residents want to keep it exclusively for Afrikaners. In his video, he interviewed a resident who explained their reasons.
The resident told him that Afrikaners bought vacant land from the previous government and built homes and infrastructure as a way to preserve their language, culture, heritage, and religion as a minority group in South Africa.
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He argued that diversity should allow cultural communities to choose whether they want to mix with others or maintain their cultural purity. The man also claimed that Afrikaners had apologised for past racism and that their focus was now on preserving their culture rather than dwelling on historical wrongs.
Watch the TikTok clip here.
Virtual tour shows daily life in the Afrikaner town
Content creator @oraniabeweging offered viewers a virtual tour of Orania through a TikTok video. The tour began with the "Welkom in Orania" sign before showing various aspects of life in the settlement.
The footage revealed large houses in residential areas surrounded by trees and well-maintained roads with trucks moving through the town. It showed Afrikaner men engaged in construction work, children swimming in a river, and young men playing rugby. Other scenes highlighted the self-contained nature of the community of approximately 3,000 Afrikaner residents.
View the TikTok clip here.
Controversial statues find a home on Monument Hill
A social media post by @Lebona_cabonena on X (formerly Twitter) gave South Africans a closer look at the statues displayed in Orania. The post showed busts of former South African presidents from the pre-democracy era on Monument Hill, an arid elevation overlooking the town.
At the front stands a statue of a young boy rolling up his sleeves, which has become the symbol of Orania. Behind this is a semi-circle of busts depicting former Afrikaner leaders, including figures like Hendrik Verwoerd, John Vorster, and D.F. Malan.
The post noted that these statues were relocated to Orania after being removed from other parts of South Africa following the end of apartheid.
View the X post here.
Source: Twitter
Gayton McKenzie's mixed review of Orania
Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie visited Orania to meet its leader and learn from their way of doing things, following in the footsteps of several political leaders before him.
McKenzie praised the town for its focus on building infrastructure and technical schools, as well as empowering its citizens. He was particularly impressed by Orania's plan to end loadshedding by purchasing a R25 million battery to become grid-independent, and by the cleanliness of the town. However, the PA leader still criticised Orania for its exclusionary practices.
View the post here.
Afrikaners celebrate St Patrick's Day with an Irish connection
X page @Volkstaat10, dedicated to uplifting the Afrikaner community, shared images of Orania residents gathering to celebrate St Patrick's Day at an Irish monument in the town.
The post highlighted a little-known historical connection between Ireland and the Afrikaner community:
"A mere footnote in the Irish story, but a huge chapter in Afrikaner history, are the heroes of the Irish Regiments who joined the Boer struggle against British imperialism. Your sacrifices are not forgotten!"
The celebration showed how the community connects their history to international events, finding connections with other cultures while maintaining their separate identity.
View the photos here.
Orania continues to be a controversial topic in South Africa, with some seeing it as a model of self-determination and others viewing it as a remnant of apartheid thinking. These five stories that were covered by Briefly News offer rare glimpses into a community that remains largely isolated from mainstream South African society.
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Source: Briefly News
