Orania population crime-free

The enclave is going from strength to strength, it would appear – Photo: Epog Argief / Flickr

‘Orania must NOT be tolerated’: Panyaza Lesufi calls for town closure

Panyaza Lesufi says he has ‘had enough’ of Orania, and the ANC’s new Gauteng Chairperson isn’t willing to accept its existence.

Orania population crime-free

The enclave is going from strength to strength, it would appear – Photo: Epog Argief / Flickr

Panyaza Lesufi is, arguably, one of the biggest political opponents facing Orania right now. The town, founded as a ‘whites-only enclave’ three decades ago, only allows Afrikaners to live and work there – and the Gauteng ANC’s new chairperson has renewed his hostilities.

‘No more Orania!’ – Panyaza Lesufi goes in hard

Orania is a self-governing community, with roughly 2 500 residents. Its existence has always been a controversial one, but the townspeople live in a relatively crime-free environment that has grown continuously since the early 1990s. Many have come to accept Orania for what it is.

However, Panyaza Lesufi is not prepared to ‘tolerate’ the settlement any longer. After winning a regional ANC election over the weekend, he got to work on setting his agenda out for this new role. Despite Orania being located in the Northern Cape, Lesufi feels this is a matter relevant to Gauteng.

He is ultimately frustrated that it works like ‘a country within a country’, bemoaning the fact that Orania operates with its own flag, school curriculum, and currency. He also put AfriForum and Freedom Front Plus in the same category, claiming that they are all ‘mindless racists’.

ANC’s new Gauteng Chair sets out his agenda early on

Jeez, tell us how you really feel, Panyaza. His comments are likely to cause a significant backlash, and as a result of a recent SABC interview, Orania is once again a top trending topic on Twitter. The debate rages on, but Mr. Lesufi is unwavering in his staunch opposition.

“There are organisations that represent a certain race and a certain language… which won’t be tolerated. They open Orania, where you can only live there if you speak that language… sorry, but not in our country.”

They have their own flag, their own schools, their own currency… they are a country within a country, this should never happen. I hate all forms of racism, and racists are mindless and useless. They should NEVER be tolerated.”

Panyaza Lesufi