An Irishman's lens on the last vestiges of South African apartheid

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Photojournalist Stephen Bean's images chart life in Orania, a 'whites-only' town in South Africa.

An Irish photographer has captured a series of images charting life in one of the world’s most controversial towns, which is attracting criticism for its steadfast refusal to accept black residents.

The trip formed part of a project by Stephen Bean, who is taking pictures to document marginalised societies in a forthcoming book.

Located along the Orange River in the Karoo region of the Northern Cape province of South Africa, Orania was created in 1991, after Nelson Mandela’s release from Robben Island. 

Champions of the Orania project have been accused of carrying on the legacy of apartheid.
Champions of the Orania project have been accused of carrying on the legacy of apartheid. Photo Courtesy

The area owes its existence to Carel Willem Hendrik Boshoff, who died in 2011 and was a professor of theology and an Afrikaner white nationalist.

The community was formed as part of an objective to have a stronghold for the Afrikaner minority group.

 However, champions of the project have been accused of carrying on the legacy of previous architects of apartheid. 

A woman in traditional Afrikaner clothing waits for a parade to start last October in Orania's annual carnival.  Picture: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty
A woman in traditional Afrikaner clothing waits for a parade to start last October in Orania's annual carnival.  Picture: Per-Anders Pettersson/Getty/Photo Courtesy 

According to Cambridge historian Edward Cavanagh’s history of land rights on the Orange River, a community of 500 poor black and mixed-race squatters living in that area were driven out in one of the last large-scale evictions under apartheid.

The Guardian reported that future residents of Orania used beatings, pistol whippings, and dogs to drive them out. The town now comprises Afrikaners only — descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers dating back to the 17th century. Afrikaners later became the predominant culture in South Africa, with ideals that led to the apartheid system based on racial segregation.

 

Children queue at a shop in Orania, a town some perceive as a threat to the successful eradication of apartheid culture.
Children queue at a shop in Orania, a town some perceive as a threat to the successful eradication of apartheid culture. Photo Courtesy

Some South Africans are now calling for the town to be disbanded due to the perceived threats it poses to the successful eradication of apartheid culture.

Cork man Stephen Bean described his experience of the town, which he said is completely cut off from the rest of the world.

I spoke to one person who told me her grandmother believes there are two heavens — one for the whites and a separate heaven for black people. 

 

"This is Calvinist tradition,” he said. “They are very religious. 

“The self-determination of minorities is protected in the South African constitution which means they are able to live like this. They are very much cut off from the rest of the world and pop culture.

“They have a strong focus on self-determination and cultural preservation. Afrikaners are considered indigenous in South Africa. This means they are on a par with the Zulu people, who are the largest ethnic group and nation in the country.” 

Bianca van der Linder, an administrator in Orania, one of the world's few 'whites only' towns.
Bianca van der Linder, an administrator in Orania, one of the world's few 'whites only' towns. Photo Courtesy

He compared the town to a limited company. “When you buy a plot you actually become a shareholder in the company so although it’s a municipality or semi-autonomous municipality, in many ways, it’s like a private company. It’s like becoming a member of staff or a shareholder. The same concept applies to Orania. It even has its own board of directors.”

He said of the residents’ insular existence: “To be honest, I think people in Orania are so focused on their own culture they don’t think outside the box like you and I do. It’s not something I think I could get used to myself but I’m interested in social phenomena.  

The Ora is the local currency of Orania in South Africa.
The Ora is the local currency of Orania in South Africa. Photo Courtesy

"What I found really fascinating about Orania is that they have their own money, the ora. The reason why they have it is because it is only valuable in that particular area. It means that if people want to make money then that money stays in Orania so really they are more like coupons.”

Demand for residency in the town remains high. It has experienced rapid growth in recent years, its population rising by 55% since 2018. As of July 2023, it had a population of approximately 2,800. However, Orania’s town council now has plans to facilitate substantial growth and the population is expected to climb to 10,000 in the coming years.

“They gave me a list showing all the people who have applied for residency and it was really striking,” he told the Irish Examiner. By SARAH HORGAN, Irish Examiner