The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in the Northern Cape are set to stage a protest march to the office of Premier Zamani Saul on Tuesday, intensifying their call for the eradication of the Afrikaner enclave of Orania. The party has labelled the town a symbol of segregation and a threat to South Africa’s democratic values.
At the heart of the EFF’s protest is the assertion that Orania — a self-sustaining, privately managed community with a population of around 3,000 — represents a deliberate effort to preserve apartheid-era ideologies. The party contends that its continued existence undermines national unity and perpetuates racial exclusivity.
“We can never be party to a government that is allowing segregation within our province. We are going to advocate for the total eradication of Orania,” said Prince Mashele, the EFF’s representative in the Sol Plaatje Municipality, in a video circulated on social media.
The protest follows renewed calls from the party last week, as reported by IOL, urging the government to review Orania’s legal status in accordance with the Constitution and national legislation. The EFF argues that the town’s socio-political model contradicts South Africa’s founding principles of equality, inclusivity, and non-racialism.
EFF Northern Cape chairperson Shadrack Tlhaole emphasized the national significance of the protest, urging South Africans across racial lines to take the matter seriously. “Orania should be abolished, and Orania is not what we should appreciate and accept as the EFF,” he said, adding that the party remains resolute in pursuing the matter through political and legal channels.
This action comes on the heels of an unsuccessful engagement last week between the EFF, Orania’s leadership, and representatives from the Freedom Front Plus (FF+). According to the EFF, discussions failed to yield common ground.
In a parallel development, the MK Party paid a visit on Monday to Kleinfontein — another whites-only settlement located near Pretoria — voicing similar concerns about racial exclusivity and challenging the legality of such communities in a democratic South Africa.
The march is expected to draw considerable attention, reigniting national debate over Orania’s place within a constitutional democracy committed to redressing historical injustices.