Gwede Mantashe Urges Black South Africans: “Go Build in Orania”
Speaking on Freedom Day, Gwede Mantashe called on black South Africans to build in Orania to promote unity and peace, while criticizing racial exclusion in the Afrikaner town.
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Gwede Mantashe
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Acting PresidentGwede Mantashe made headlines on Sunday, 27 April, during Freedom Day celebrations in Ermelo, Mpumalanga, by urging black South Africans to “go and build” in the Afrikaner enclave of Orania.
Standing in for PresidentCyril Ramaphosa, who is currently on medical leave, Mantashe addressed crowds at the AJ Swanepoel Stadium, emphasizing the themes of “healing over hatred,” “peace over conflict,” and “reconciliation over revenge” as South Africa marked 31 years of democracy.
Mantashe said:
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“If I would be president for more than three hours, I would declare that people must go and build in Orania. Black people must go and build there. And we mix them. They appreciate that hatred can never survive. It is peace that builds a nation.”
He criticized white South Africans who he said had spread misinformation about the country to former U.S. PresidentDonald Trump.
“Now they are told to go there and be refugees, but they are refusing. We are a free, sovereign country, not a province of the United States. That sovereignty will be defended,” Mantashe added.
Orania, a privately-owned town in the Northern Cape, is frequently criticized for its racial exclusivity. Established in 1991, it is predominantly inhabited by Afrikaners and promotes the preservation of Afrikaner culture, but has faced accusations of modern-day Apartheid practices.
Mantashe is not alone in his condemnation. Earlier this week, EFF Northern Cape leader Shadrack Tlhaole announced plans to move into Orania to challenge its exclusionary practices.
Addressing supporters during a march to the office of Premier Zamani Saul, Tlhaole said:
“Orania is a town that excludes black South Africans by race, language, and culture under the pretense of cultural preservation. This is not culture; it is disguised institutional racism.”
Tlhaole vowed that the EFF would infiltrate Orania, emphasizing:
“I am going to be a resident of Orania, along with the leadership of the EFF. We are going to fight to be one society. If Orania is not addressed soon, it will create more racial tension in South Africa.”
The future of Orania remains a heated point of debate in South Africa’s ongoing discussions about race, land, and national unity.
