ANC provincial secretary Deshi Ngxanga.
ANC PROVINCIAL secretary Deshi Ngxanga has applied for land in Orania as he intends to build a house there and relocate to the Afrikaner enclave.
The Northern Cape town is rated as having a very low crime rate and has a “strong and proud” emphasis on self-reliance and preserving Afrikaner cultural heritage.
In a letter that was addressed to the municipal manager of the Orania town council and the former leader of the Orania Movement, Carel Boshoff, Ngxanga enquired about available plots of land in the town.
“I am directing this letter to you to find out about possible residential plots that are available in Orania. Orania forms part of South Africa and I guess it is open to people of all races who are interested in residing in the town. Acts like the Group Areas Act and the ‘Bantu self-government’ were declared inconsistent with the constitution and were scrapped from the statute books,” Ngxanga wrote.
He stated that, in terms of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, every citizen has a right to enter, to remain and to reside anywhere in the Republic.
“Please let me know of available plots and how much they cost. I am interested in building my house and relocating to Orania as soon as possible.
“I’m also copying my lawyers so that we can initiate a legal challenge if I’m declined residency in Orania on the basis of the colour of my skin.”
Ngxanga indicated that he was prepared to refer the matter to the Constitutional Court if necessary.
“Everyone should be free to choose where they wish to stay in South Africa. We will oppose any discrimination based on race.”
A resident pointed out on Wednesday that in order to be considered eligible for land in Orania, applicants were required to undergo scrutiny and receive authorisation from the town council.
“Anyone wishing to stay in the town is expected to abide by the rules and regulations. There are a number of stringent conditions that must be complied with,” said the resident.
Boshoff stated that no formal application for land had been received, although he had seen posts on social media.
“I am not directly involved in the application as it will be handled by the town council. It will be treated like any other application,” said Boshoff.
He indicated that the council offices usually closed for the festive season - from December 24 until January 2. “The offices will, however, be open for any emergencies.”
He added that the population of Orania was showing some growth.
“People move in and out of the town all the time.”