Orania exists – and has done for more than 30 years, so it is not a “vision” as such, but I wasn’t sure how else to categorise it.  I include it here because I support the concept of “private towns” – and hopefully future “private cities”.  

Orania is an intentional community established in 1991 on privately-owned land on the banks of the Orange River at a point where the river divides the Northern Cape and Free State provinces.  The town was founded with the goal of creating a refuge for the Afrikaner minority group, the Afrikaans language and culture but it has been the subject of much negative press coverage vilifying it for being a “racist” town, since no blacks live there.

Orania was founded by Karel Boshoff, the son-in-law of Hendrik Verwoerd – called the “father of apartheid” – who was assassinated in Parliament House in 1966 by a deranged mixed-race communist.  (after the ANC came to power he remained in a mental institution).  One of its very first residents was Verwoerd’s widow who lived, until her death in 2000, in a very modest house – which is now maintained as a museum and shown to visitors.  (You have to wonder why she didn’t live out her last years in luxury on the French Riviera, since her hubby – and other apartheid leaders – are alleged to have stolen so much money..?)

At the time of my visit (2014) the population was just over 1000, and by 2023 an estimated 2800.   Although it has not achieved the rapid growth hoped-for by its founders, this is still quite an impressive growth rate given the climate – in every sense of the word – climatological, political, and economic.  In particular the low wages on offer – they don’t hire cheaper outside black labour, so all work is done by the residents.  They also receive none of the government financial assistance which undoubtedly would have been forthcoming to a black community with similarly self-sufficient aspirations.

As a privately-owned town, prospective residents are required to submit to an interview process with a committee, which can reject applicants on certain criteria, the most important of which is to be an Afrikaner or at least speak Afrikaans. English-speakers can apply – although only a very few have – but would certainly have to speak Afrikaans in public or face ostracism.  Visitors, on the other hand, will have no problem speaking English and are welcomed by the town management, if somewhat hesitantly.   The river-frontage restaurant staff were happy to speak English, but the owners of the attractive log-cabin style hotel where we stayed were distinctly unfriendly.   Perhaps they resented speaking English (like one sometimes experiences in France) or maybe they thought we were Anglo journalists doing yet another hatchet job?

Orania has no statute barring admission based on race, as that would violate South Africa’s constitution.  Countless predictably negative press reports by leftist rags, like the NYT or the Guardian, make the repetitive claim that “only whites have been admitted”, with the obvious (but disingenuous) insinuation that many black applicants have applied but all have been rejected because they are not white.   But the unsurprising truth is that only whites have actually applied to live there.   One has to ask why would a black person want to live in Orania, unless he/she had a political motive with the intention of discrediting the community with frivolous charges of alleged “discrimination” and “micro-aggressions”, such as “unfriendly looks”..?

All that said, I will be surprised if the black racist “communistic comrades” of the ANC/EFF “coalition” will allow it to expand much beyond 5000 inhabitants, a target which will be reached within a few more years.  Watch this space..!