Orania Leader Defends Towns Purpose Amid Effs Racism Concerns

The Economic Freedom Fighters EFF in the Northern Cape has launched a scathing attack on the predominantly Afrikaans town of Orania, questioning its very existence.

The party has taken issue with the autonomous state, saying its existence weakens unity in the country.

Orania Movement leader Jooste Strydom says Orania exists to preserve Afrikaans culture and identity. He has rejected claims that the town is racist, although there are concerns that its not friendly to non-white South Africans.

Strydom says the EFF should instead embrace Orania for taking responsibility for its own future.

We take responsibility for our heritage. We do not stop anyone to do the same. In fact, the Orania movement and many other Orania institutions engaged with communities like the Xhosa people of, the . people, the Barolong people. We engaged with them and said, listen, heres a model. We cannot come and execute this model for you. We cannot come and vote for you. The whole thing of Orania is to say you must do this yourself. We will try to take responsibility for ours, but heres a lot of winning list recipes that you can use to build yours.