EFF meets with Orania leaders

7 June 2016

Johannesburg – A relationship with the EFF could be cultivated, Orania Movement leader Carel Boshoff told News24 on Monday, after the party visited the whites-only enclave in the Northern Cape.

Boshoff said the EFF had an intense, but constructive, discussion on the future of the country and the Afrikaans community. The Orania Movement leader met with the EFF over the weekend during the party's campaigning for the local government elections.

"We had an intense discussion where we engaged in a number of subjects that affect us both. We recognised relations could still be cultivated. The EFF took notice that Orania has unique dispensation and the EFF told us it does not want to change or end Orania.

"They also said we should not be excluded from politics and that our people should participate in the province and locally," he said.

There were, however, areas where the two groups disagreed.

"We do not agree to free services. We see that as a pitfall and we agreed to disagree on this point. This was a significant disagreement. 

"The most important point which affords us common ground is our strategy of natural recognition. We recognise the EFF and expect them to respect Orania, and they agree, which is a solid way forward," he said.

Orania was established in 1991 to preserve and promote Afrikaner culture and language. The town is home to 1 300 Afrikaners.

The EFF could not immediately be reached for comment.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.