The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has located over 11 families who were allegedly forcibly removed from their land in the early 1990s to make way for Orania, the self-proclaimed Afrikaner-only settlement. The party met with the displaced families in Warrenton, where they shared their accounts.
“We Left Everything Behind” – Families Demand Answers
Among those affected is 67-year-old Quintis McKenna, who described the eviction as “inhumane.” McKenna revealed that families allegedly were forced to abandon their homes, personal belongings, and even the graves of their loved ones.
“It created a huge scar,” McKenna said. “I’m not saying we want to go back, but if we can retrieve our properties and see what happened to our graves, we will appreciate it. Our evictions made us live in tears till today. There are graves of our children and families there.”
Belinda van Wyk, 55, echoed his sentiments, expressing bitterness over the unresolved fate of their ancestors’ remains. “I just want to see how the place looks now. Our people’s graves are there—what happened to their bones? We left in a hurry, leaving our animals and homes behind,” she said.
EFF Denies Stoking Division, Calls for Review of Orania
The EFF has dismissed accusations that its campaign against Orania is racially divisive, insisting that the settlement represents a continuation of apartheid-era segregation.
“Orania is a redesign of apartheid,” an EFF representative stated. “We must resolve this matter honestly. People lost their lives, their worth, their Ubuntu. We cannot ignore this.”
The party confirmed that the Orania issue will be raised in Parliament during Friday’s plenary session.
Political Solution Sought Amid Legal Precedent
Northern Cape Premier Zamani Saul has previously called for a political resolution to the Orania dispute, referencing a 25-year-old Kimberley High Court judgment. However, the EFF insists that justice for the displaced families must be prioritized.
As tensions rise, the affected families remain hopeful for closure—whether through reclaiming their land, visiting ancestral graves, or receiving formal acknowledgment of their suffering.
“We just want to know what happened to our history,” Fanve said. “That’s all we ask.”
