‘Obvious sore point’- EFF to march to exclusive Afrikaner township Kleinfontein 

The EFF is today set to march to Kleinfontein, the exclusive Afrikaner township dubbed illegal after the High Court in Pretoria ruled in favour of the City of Tshwane to enforce laws relating to planning and building regulations.

Last month, the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party arrived at Kleinfontein unannounced and was greeted with koeksisters and coffee. The parties agreed to a follow-up meeting and to respect each other’s viewpoints despite their ideological differences.

The EFF is opposed to the establishment of racially segregated settlements, be it in Orania or Kleinfontein.

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“On Friday, we march to Kleinfontein, to demonstrate our disapproval of this apartheid outpost and all others who may be wishing for the days long gone.”

‘Obvious sore points’

Political analyst Piet Croucamp said there was no doubt of little enclaves of aniconism in a democratic South Africa.

“They are such obvious sore points that they are the target of political parties – the EFF, MK and ANC exploit this for opportunist purposes. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that these enclaves are, to some extent, discriminatory,” he said.

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“Once you allow it for the little ones, it won’t be long before somebody else makes the same claim. We already have the claim of some political parties that claim the Cape independence, what’s next… Zululand must become independent?” he asked.

Croucamp did not believe the state would tolerate excluded existence, as that would fuel more forces leading to the fragmentation of national identity.

Kleinfontein and Orania: Cultural preservation?

Political analyst Rene Oosthuizen said the EFF’s planned march, following similar action by MK and calls to challenge the existence of Orania, reflected a broader conflict over symbolic and physical spaces associated with the legacy of apartheid.

“While proponents of Kleinfontein and Orania would argue these settlements are expressions of community autonomy and cultural preservation, what is clear is that critics, including the EFF, view the settlements as remnants of segregation and exclusionary ideologies that contravene constitutional principles of nonracialism and social cohesion.

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“The public declarations to demolish these settlements underscore the heightened politicisation of land and identity issues in our country. Regarding the visits to these two settlements, they serve as both political statements and symbolic gestures aimed at challenging their legitimacy.”

Oosthuizen said the way forward lay in fostering inclusive dialogue and legal processes that uphold constitutional values while addressing the sociopolitical complexities the settlements represent.