More residents of Orania are choosing to leave the Afrikaner-only town to take up refugee status in the US.
The programme is open to South Africans of minority race groups – predominantly white – who are “victims of racial persecution”.
ORANIA RESIDENTS TAKING UP REFUGEE STATUS – HERE’S WHY
According to a new report, a small percentage of residents in Orania have been granted refugee status in the US.
Orania Movement leader Joost Strydom predicts this to be around 5% of the 2 900 population he believes have left the Afrikaner-only town to pursue bigger and better opportunities in America
Strydom stated that families were interested in applying to the refugee resettlement programme, as the US boasted a “powerful economy” compared to Orania.
He added in a Facebook post: “America has a lot to offer. This is the most powerful economy in the world. There are definitely many safe places in the USA, and there are welfare services for Africans who arrive there. Housing, food, and medical care are paid for by the U.S. government for a number of months, and there are other benefits.
He continued: “There are many places out there with better service delivery and obviously without an ANC government. Orania can’t compete with all those economic benefits. Orania is still small and is still very strong under the ANC government’s influence”.
Strydom added that many Afrikaner families saw Orania as a “stepping stone” to other opportunities.
We are also saddened by each of these individuals who had to seek greener pastures beyond their native land. The reality is that with every person who leaves, fewer and fewer Afrikaners remain in South Africa.
CALL TO STAY AND ‘BUILD’
Joost Strydom appealed to those considering leaving from Orania or elsewhere in South Africa on the refugee programme, or of their own accord, to consider staying behind.
He shared: “We cannot give you anything; we ask that you come and help build. Come and help build for those who choose to live in South Africa. Come help build for Afrikaners who believe that we belong here on this continent.
“Yes, we are sad about everyone leaving…they made a choice. If we want to survive as Africans in Africa, we must choose to build on something where our people can have opportunities again, where our children can go to school and study in Afrikaans, and where we can protect our culture”.
Strydom listed attractions such as Orania’s high-quality education, training facilities, and booming tourism sector.
He added, “All these things contribute to us being able to build a bigger and stronger economy. We choose to stay here and build a future for our people. What is your choice?”.
WHAT RACIAL PERSECUTION DO THEY FACE?
Orania is located in the Northern Cape, with a population of around 3000 individuals.
The Afrikaner-only town was built on private property in 1963. It is self-sufficient, with its own businesses, schools, hospitals, and even currency.
So, how do residents qualify to enter the refugee programme?
Like other applicants, those from Orania must meet the following criteria…
- Be South African
- Be of Afrikaner ethnicity or be a member of a racial minority in South Africa
- Must be able to articulate an experience of persecution or fear of future persecution.
In line with US President Donald Trump’s claims of “racial discrimination”, South Africans interested in the refugee resettlement programme must prove that they have been “persecuted” in their applications.
In the Statement of Interest form, applicants are required to specify if the “persecution” was based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, membership of a social group, or a fear of “future harm”.
Other questions included when the prospective “refugee” would like to travel to the US, how many family members they would like to bring, and if interested parties have a valid passport.