Tragic Murder-Suicide in Orania: Man Kills Wife Before Taking His Own Life in Front of Daughter

• Residents of Orania in the Northern Cape were left in shock after a murder-suicide unfolded last week
• It is alleged that a man murdered his wife before committing suicide in front of their young daughter
• The residents of the whites-only town took to social media to express their sadness about the tragedy

The closed community of the white-only town in the Northern Cape was left in shock after the tragic death of two of its residents. This came after an Orania resident, Danie van der Westhuizen, murdered his estranged wife, Marlette van der Westhuizen. After murdering his wife, the 47-year-old man then took his own in front of their 12-year-old daughter.

It is alleged that the incident took place on 31 March with the daughter celebrating her birthday just days later. The incident is currently being investigated by the police in the neighbouring town of Hopesville. According to the community's Facebook page, Orania, the 12-year-old daughter is currently receiving support from the residents of Orania and social workers.

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"The girl had her birthday shortly after the events, and in addition to the official support, the community also mobilised to send her flowers, sweets, letters, and more on her birthday.

According to our social workers, she shows remarkable resilience in the face of the tragedy and the loss of both her parents," the post read.

Is Orania the safest town in SA?

Orania's crime levels are relatively low compared to other towns in South Africa. The town does not have a police station and residents partake in active patrols throughout the day and night. These types of incidents rarely happen in the whites-only town, according to its residents.

South Africans shared their views

Netizens expressed their views of the tragedy that unfolded in Orania:

Barend La Grange said:

"Much strength to everyone affected, as well as to the entire community."

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Francois van Schalkwyk said:

"As a resident of Orania – these were two wonderful people. They will leave a great void in the community and we will miss them dearly. We don't always know what drives people to come here. They keep it to themselves until it eventually spills over. Tragic."

Marianne Loubser said:

"Much strength to the little girl. May dear Jesus hold her tightly and comfort her. Strength also to the Orania community."

Margaret Swanepoel said:

"Baie sterkte aan dai jong dogter. Dit n groot verlies vi haar. Niemand van ons ken die omstandighede nie so niemand kan oordeel nie. Orania se mense sal haar beskerm tot sy weer gevestig is."

Elaine Ferreira said:

"I live in Jhb and work in Jhb. Every hour you hear something terrible here. Orania can relax."

Johan Botes said:

"Danie was my supervisor when I worked at Orania Development Company, and his ex-wife, Marlette, worked at the Orania Town Council. Both of them were wonderful people."

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Francois J van Zyl said:

"It just shows that Orania, like any community, isn’t without underlying problems. In fact, I feel that the mental state of our people as a whole is very low with everything that is currently happening in the country. "

Annemarie Raaths Marais said:

"No place, town, or city, not even Orania, is immune to such things. It happens everywhere."

What you need to know about Orania

Orania is a small town located in the Northern Cape and houses 3000 Afrikaner members. The town was built on private property in the 1990s but its concept of self-governance and independence dates back to the 1950s. The town is exclusively for white Afrikaners and is completely independent from the state.

The town's residents place a strong emphasis on preserving their language (Afrikaans), religion (Calvinism), and way of life. To live in Orania, one must apply for residency, and acceptance is based on being an Afrikaner, demonstrating fluency in Afrikaans, having a clean criminal record, and aligning with the community's values and goals.

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3 more stories about Orania

• On March 17, Afrikaner residents in Orania, Northern Cape, embraced the Irish holiday of St Patrick’s Day with festivities that included strong alcoholic drinks.
• A user on X shared striking comparison images showing Orania’s transformation from the 1970s to today.
• A South African tour guide from @big6safaris offered a rare glimpse into daily life in Orania.

Source: Briefly News