Black Man Investigates South Africa’s Whites-Only Town

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In this documentary, I return to Orania, one of South Africa’s most controversial and misunderstood communities.

Orania is a self-declared Afrikaner-only town, founded in 1991 as a place for White Afrikaners to preserve their culture, language, and way of life. Today, it has a population of nearly 3,000 people, its own government, its own currency (the Ora), and a strict set of rules for who can live there. Residents must be White Afrikaners, fluent in Afrikaans, uphold Calvinist Christian values, and have a clean criminal record.

The first time I visited Orania, I focused on observing the town and documenting my experience without asking the harder questions. But this time, I brought actor and comedian Siv Ngesi with me, and together we came ready to challenge the community’s beliefs. We explored the town’s controversial monuments, its unique banking system, and the rising tensions around land reform and South Africa’s new Expropriation Act—laws that allow the government to seize land without compensation. These issues have drawn international attention, with US President Donald Trump accusing South Africa of discriminating against White farmers. Since then, he has cut off US aid to the country and is offering Afrikaners refugee status in America.

We also went on a mission to find the one Orania resident who reportedly voted for the EFF in the last election. It’s a mystery we were determined to solve.

This documentary goes deeper than ever before, asking uncomfortable questions about identity, land, and what it means to be African in today’s South Africa.

[BRKEdownUNDER]

"lacking diversity" is never listed as a problem amongst non-white communities...

[Stafford]

South Africa's problem is not a town of 3000 people, but a hopelessly disfunctional government that can't keep the lights on.

[mlamb]

It's not racist to have your own culture.
Racism is hating another culture for existing. If your respectful to each other and their culture this world would be a better place.

[classicalmusic]

A town built with ingenuity and skill. The result speaks for itself. The people are happy, and the streets are safe and clean. This is how you do things.

[thistleskeptic]

Would he criticize a lack of diversity in a town with no white people? Would he find that weird? I doubt it

[FireFox_]

All those guns and yet no crime. Let that sink in. Guns don't kill. People kill. Culture matters

[s.koileken]

*As a Black person, I believe the Orania community in South Africa has the right to live peacefully and pursue their way of life—as long as they contribute positively to national development. Just like the Amish in the U.S., they choose to live separately, and that doesn’t automatically make them racist. Integration is a personal choice, and if they aren’t harming others or promoting division, I see no reason to condemn them.*

[saipien]

Honestly, why don't we black people just leave them alone and respect their space... Let's strive to build our own thriving and peaceful communities instead...

[mike-]

This town being labelled as "whites only" is disingenuous, even non-afrikaaner whites cannot live there. "Living in the town requires application, and acceptance is dependent upon being Afrikaner, demonstrating fluency in Afrikaans, a clean criminal record, and sharing the community's values and goals." It really does feel like the west is protective of all cultures unless they're that of a white majority group.

[stanmaxie]

I'm black, and to see such a community where there's peace and safety plus growth I must say, this is impressive. Let them be, let them have their rules and freedom they arent bothering anyone.

[gxyb]

I'm a Latino guy living in an almost exclusively Black neighborhood in Los Angeles, and they SURE make me know I'm not welcome. If I could afford to, I'd leave. Don't hear anyone complaining that my area isn't diverse enough, the double-standard is just painfully obvious.

[LordHelpUs]

I worked in South Africa all of last year. It’s such a beautiful place and South Africans I worked with were all amazing. It is being ran into the ground by the corrupt government and by the subsequent levels of crime. This town is beautiful and most importantly it’s safe. Let them be.

[owenswabi]

He calls it backwards yet it functions while the rest of South Africa crumbles

[vrassoc]

It is incorrect to refer to Orania as a "whites-only town". It is an Afrikaner town. White people who are not Afrikaners cannot live there either. It is not about race. It is about culture. So, Orania is actually a lot more discriminatory than someone who discriminates on race. It is only a tiny subsection of one particular race that qualifies to live there. But, what is strange is that no one except people who are not white complain about it. No English or French or Germans or Russians complain that they cannot live in Orania. Only blacks. Why? And then they specifically go out of their way to pretend and try to make it seem as if it's only blacks who cannot live there. Why? Why be dishonest?

[Beatrice-ffpb]

Bikes unlocked, kids out playing, etc... doesn't it speak for itself?

[beecham]

I don’t think standing on the towns name and twerking is a great way to show respect to the people of Orania…

[itiswhatitis]

As a South African and not one of white skin, I salute to people of Orania. They are their own people. Instead of bitching and complaining they a building a great self sustainable, self suffient town. I admire them. Just leave them alone, rather learn from their example. Well done Orania.

[carlosbardales]

So.. the biggest issue is that this little and nowhere town of 3k people lack diversity and that is the main problem? I did not hear it having problems like violence, crime, uneducated people, unemployment, lack of hope, lack of services/utilities, etc.... maybe the two of them are somehow related?? Let's face it.. South Africa as a whole nation has all the natural resources to be a first world nation... the problem it has it is his politics and people. I am not an African but I get the impression that if you let the Afrikaans run the entire place for a couple of decades.. it will rival any other developed nation... but that is just my gut feeling.

[mervunit]

It's crazy that one small town of 3, 000 people is preventing the entire continent from becoming Wakanda.

[fezfez]

Him twerking on their town sign told me everything I need to know about how they’re going to try string this story.

3000 white people that want to be left alone is not the problem with our broken country.