No town in South Africa is as contentious as Orania. Even though the enclave only has 2 500 residents, it was originally intended to be a “whites-only” community that was solely accessible to Afrikaners.
However, it appears that this community in the Northern Cape is making friends in unexpected places.
This is as a result of this week’s diplomatic expedition to Orania by two prominent traditional leaders.
Officials from the AmaBhele kaJamangile, a Maclear-based Xhosa-speaking community that seeks autonomy, were the first to contact them.
The King of the Seleka Barolong, a Tswana group with strong ties to Afrikaans heritage from close to Bloemfontein, then met with the leadership in Orania.
Both tribes visited with the intention of learning more about self-determination.
leaders from the past “wanting to learn from Orania”
According to a statement released by Orania on Tuesday, the traditional leaders wanted to imitate the ostensible achievements of this autonomous region, which is now putting other municipalities’ service delivery to shame.
Bhelekazi Mabandla, a princess and diplomatic representative of the AmaBhele kaJamangile who resides close to Maclear, as well as tribal king Gaboilelwe Moroka of the Seleka Barolong of Thaba’Nchu, east of Bloemfontein, visited Orania on diplomatic business.
“The purpose of the visit is to support the efforts made by these two tribes themselves to achieve autonomy and self-determination.
They wanted to learn more from Orania as an example of a community that has already had many successes on the path to increasing self-determination, so they made this request.
Theo Beweging
Tribes asking for guidance on self-determination
This week, Orania made headlines when it was revealed that it is home to the only landfill in the Northern Cape that complies with national requirements.
The remote suburb takes pride in its honourable government despite its disputed existence.
It excelled among the 18 refuse collection services, and others wishing to create their own communities are now looking to Orania as a model for success.