Jan Groenewald – praag.org

Kleinfontein recognised as cultural community

Although the Gauteng legislature has recognised Kleinfontein, a white Afrikaner-only settlement outside Pretoria, as a cultural community, the City of Tshwane won’t declare it a separate development.

The legislature’s decision comes after an investigation by its portfolio committee on community safety into an incident in which police officers were barred from entering the enclave, 30km south-east of the city in November last year, presumably because they did not fit the community’s entry requirements.

The findings of the investigation were reported in the legislature on Thursday, a meeting attended by one of Kleinfontein’s founders and the chairman of the Kleinfontein board, Jan Groenewald. He said the community co-operated fully with the legislature and said rumours that police were denied access to Kleinfontein were unsubstantiated.

The community is also in the process of applying to have Kleinfontein declared an independent legal entity within the City of Tshwane.

But while some have welcomed the acknowledgement of the settlement as a “cultural community” as a first step, the Tshwane mayor stressed that the city would not approve a whites-only township development within the capital city.

“It would be in contravention of the Bill of Rights for the City of Tshwane to approve a township development where residence was exclusive for a particular race group,” said the mayoral spokesman Blessing Manale.

In emphasising the supremacy of the constitution and the Bill of Rights, Executive Mayor Kgosientso Ramkgopa – who visited the settlement earlier in the year “to have a conversation with the community” – said every citizen had the right to “enter, remain and reside” anywhere in South Africa.

“We believe that there remains an open platform, medium and institutions for every South African to practise their legitimate cultural and religious rights, and to preserve and celebrate their heritage without demanding separate development and self-exclusion,” Manale said.

He described Kleinfontein as an informal settlement because it had not been formalised nor proclaimed as a formal township. There were about 40 such areas in the city.

Groenewald attended the legislature meeting on Thursday. He said “rumours” that police were not allowed entry into Kleinfontein were unsubstantiated.

“… the investigation led to an excellent relationship between the Kleinfontein community and the legislature,” said Groenewald.

The 800ha co-operative turns 21 this year making it a year younger than its sister town, Orania.

There are 450 shareholders in Kleinfontein with 300 homes and 1 000 residents – all of whom are white, Christian Afrikaners.

Those who live in Kleinfontein quote Article 185 of the constitution which defends the right to live with people of the same cultural group, language and religion. – IOL

Mayor of Greater Pretoria to inspect Afrikaner community of Kleinfontein

So-called Tshwane or Greater Pretoria mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa will visit the Afrikaners-only community of Kleinfontein outside Rayton, east of Pretoria, on Wednesday.

“The visit is not a law enforcement exercise, but is aimed at fact-finding, reaching out to the community, and understanding their concerns,” Ramokgopa’s office said in a statement on Tuesday.

Members of the mayoral committee would accompany him.

Spokesman Blessing Manale said Ramokgopa would use the visit to reiterate that racial practices had no place in a democratic era.

“The executive mayor has called on the leadership of civil rights organisations and other government agencies to join in this exercise, so as to welcome the minority community of Kleinfontein back into Tshwane and assure them that they have no reason to fear.”

During the visit discussions on amicable remedies for the area’s apparent non-compliance with certain planning and housing regulations and other by-laws would be held.

Last week the Democratic Alliance Youth protested outside Kleinfontein’s gates. The property covers almost 800 hectares. DA Youth leader Mbali Ntuli and a few others entered the area to speak with Kleinfontein leaders.

“We want to show you what South Africa looks like. We achieve nothing by creating secluded areas,” she said at the time.

Kleinfontein controlling body chairman Jan Groenewald insisted in a debate with the DA on Thursday that the criteria for its residents were not based on race.

Inhabitants of the settlement, which had existed for 21 years but came under the media’s spotlight this week, merely wanted to live out their values in seclusion, said Groenewald. This would include providing themselves with their own “municipal” services.

“The people that have free access to Kleinfontein, who can apply, are Afrikaner. [They] are basically people who associate themselves with our Voortrekker history, the Blood River Covenant, and all these historical facts relating to our struggle for independence for the Afrikaner people,” Groenewald told reporters.

The criteria to live in Kleinfontein was “based on cultural, language, traditional, and religious beliefs”.

“You cannot use race as a base to determine anything,” said Groenewald. – Sapa

Kleinfontein’s Afrikaner community ‘not about race’

kleinfontein_protest — The liberal Democratic Alliance protesting outside Kleinfontein

The Afrikaners-only community Kleinfontein outside Rayton, east of Pretoria, insisted in a debate with the DA on Thursday that the criteria for its residents were not based on race.

The community, which has existed for 21 years but came under the media’s spotlight this week, merely wanted to live out their values in seclusion, said controlling body chairman Jan Groenewald.

This would include providing themselves with their own “municipal” services.

“The people that have free access to Kleinfontein, who can apply, are Afrikaner. [They] are basically people who associate themselves with our Voortrekker history, the Blood River Covenant and all these historical facts relating to our struggle for independence for the Afrikaner people,” Groenewald told reporters.

The criteria to live in Kleinfontein was “based on cultural, language, traditional and religious beliefs”.

“You cannot use race as a base to determine anything,” said Groenewald.

The gated community, which covered almost 800 hectares, was in the spotlight this week following reports that Kleinfontein was a racially exclusive community.

On Thursday the Democratic Alliance Youth protested outside its gates.

The handful of youths were singing and dancing as they moved towards the gate to protest against the farm settlement’s policies.

Some held up placards reading: “Een nasie. Een toekoms (One nation. One future)”.

Guards in camouflage were stationed at the gates of the community. Also to be seen were some residents and a number of cars carrying the old Transvaal Republic flag, with an extra band of orange.

DA Youth leader Mbali Ntuli along with a few other members entered the community to speak with Kleinfontein leaders.

“We want to show you what South Africa looks like. We achieve nothing by creating secluded areas.”

But Groenewald insisted the Constitution allowed for the existence of their community.

He said Afrikaner self determination, as guaranteed by article 235 of the Constitution, was the cornerstone the community was built on.

“We feel that the discussion with the DA Youth and their leadership was eventually constructive.”

He said Kleinfontein was in discussion with the Tshwane municipality concerning service delivery.

“We would like to, as we have always done, deliver our own services.”

The community’s water was supplied by natural fountains and it bought its electricity in bulk from Eskom.

Local businessman Dannie de Beer said all construction and manual labour within Kleinfontein was done either by residents or workers approved by the board.

He said people had to apply for residency and were interviewed by a panel.

Kleinfontein, with about 1000 residents, has its own primary school, old age home and game reserve.

De Beer said Kleinfontein accommodated both rich and poor residents. He said often people would arrive at the gate with nothing more than a bag of clothes.

If they qualified they would be allocated a house in the caravan park and would usually work in Kleinfontein.

Single mother Ronelle Berrington explained she moved to Kleinfontein for her children.

“Your children have freedom of movement,” the mother of four said.

Fellow resident Gerhard Schutte, 34, said he has lived in Kleinfontein for seven years and owned his own business.

“When I was in school I became aware of Kleinfontein. It has been existing for 21 years. It was my desire to live here. It is how I want to live.”

He denied being racist, saying he just preferred living in the gated community as it prioritised his values and had no serious crime.

Double amputee Dries Oncke, who sustained his injuries when he was hit by a train almost 20 years ago, echoed these sentiments.

“I live here and I stay out of trouble.”

Orania Beweging president Carel Boshoff has since invited the DA Youth to visit Orania, the segregated Afrikaner community in the Northern Cape.