Orania CEO: Ramaphosa should speak up against those telling Afrikaners to leave

Joost Strydom, CEO of the Orania Movement, says he is shocked that the South African government does not silence calls for the Afrikaner people to leave South Africa.

This comes after United States (US) President Donald Trump signed an executive order against South Africa on Friday, citing grave injustices against the minority group.

It also tasked the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Homeland Security with taking appropriate steps “to prioritise humanitarian relief, including admission and resettlement through the United States Refugee Admissions Programme, for Afrikaners in South Africa”.

Trump has also cut foreign aid to South Africa because of alleged racist laws against white people. This includes the recently signed Expropriation Act.

ALSO READ: Ramaphosa responds to Trump, says SA has ‘not confiscated any land’

Afrikaans people are here to stay

Strydom told The Citizen on Monday that the Afrikaner community has been attacked on social media since Trump’s offer to give white farmers refugee status in the US.

“Black South Africans were saying on social media that white South Africans have the opportunity to go, and they must go. They said we were not welcome and did not want us here anymore.

“In the president’s remarks, he said nothing; he did not say no, and he did not say we want Afrikaans people to stay here, even in his press releases. This is concerning,” Strydom said.

Are white people being targeted?

Strydom said the ANC is targeting the white community in South Africa with more than 141 race-based laws. He said the Expropriation Act is one of those laws.

“There are 141 laws that are based on race, supposedly to correct the injustices of the past. Now, the government wants to expropriate land in the public interest. Who decides what is in the public interest?

“On top of these race laws, there is discrimination against people based on their skin colour. There are also these BEE [Black Economic Empowerment] deals. I do not know why the ANC insists on having all these laws that are based on race,” he said.

Fear of land grabs

Strydom said there is genuine fear in the white community that white farmers will lose land in the same way as white farmers did in Zimbabwe.

“The ability to take away land is a political tool today. Now, the Afrikaner is in a fight with the government. Tomorrow, it may be someone else.

“If people read the Expropriation Act, it’s also in reference to property and not just land; this includes any investments you might have,” he said.

‘Leaving for US would erase Afrikaner history’

Strydom said the Afrikaner people have been part of South Africa for at least 400 years.

He said moving to the US would erase the history and identity of Afrikaans people from South Africa.

“We are a part of this country and we are not home elsewhere. We are connected to this region and this continent.

“We have no intention of leaving South Africa and believe that we have the right to live here,” he said.

‘Orania a home for the Afrikaner’

According to Strydom, a town like Orania exists to preserve Afrikaans culture and identity.

He said the town is not racist despite concerns that it’s not friendly to non-white South Africans.

“Orania was formed to create a home for Afrikaners. It was part of the ’94 negotiations and part of the new constitution.

“The Afrikaners have the right to live independently and self-sufficient,” he said.

SA government reacts to US decisions

The Department of International Relations and Coordination (Dirco) noted Trump’s decision to prevent South Africa from receiving foreign aid.

The ministry said Trump’s posture against South Africa is based on misinformation.

However, the South African government said it is willing to engage with Washington to resolve any disputes or misunderstandings.

“Ironically, the executive order makes provision for refugee status in the US for a group in South Africa that remains amongst the most economically privileged, while vulnerable people in the US from other parts of the world are being deported and denied asylum despite real hardship,” Dirco said.

However, lobby group AfriForum and some organisations linked to the group have been slammed as being behind the misinformation about race relations in South Africa and the Expropriation Act.

The citizen has contacted presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya to comment on the story, but there was no response when this article was published.

ALSO READ: Will Trump’s policies cost South Africa billions?