DA Youth protest outside Kleinfontein

The people of Kleinfontein, near Pretoria, have vowed that only Afrikaners will be allowed to live in their farming settlement. File photo: Etienne Creux

The people of Kleinfontein, near Pretoria, have vowed that only Afrikaners will be allowed to live in their farming settlement. File photo: Etienne Creux

Published May 23, 2013

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Kleinfontein -

Members of the DA Youth were making their way towards the gates of the racially exclusive Kleinfontein community outside Rayton, east of Pretoria, on Thursday.

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)”.

On Wednesday, it was reported that Kleinfontein only accepted “white, Afrikaans Protestants who abide by the Blood River Covenant”.

Democratic Alliance Youth leader Mbali Ntuli said the protesters intended entering Kleinfontein to speak to leaders.

“We want to show the residents of Kleinfontein how South Africans can actually live. How positive South Africa can actually be.”

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.

Kleinfontein spokeswoman Merisa Haasbroek said this was an Afrikaans cultural community.

It did not want to be a sovereign entity, but wanted to be independent from the local metro council.

The community used the Blood River Covenant as an easy litmus test to determine whether someone had the same values as they did, she said.

“We cannot allow racial nationalists on the extreme fringes of South African politics to try and bring apartheid back,” Haasbroek said.

Ntuli said the protest aimed to “liberate” Kleinfontein residents from their “apartheid mindsets”.

“While others divide, we will unite.

“... we will show South Africa what a reconciled and prosperous nation looks like,” he said.

Government expressed dismay on Wednesday that there were still citizens who did not want to integrate into a democratic South Africa.

Acting government spokeswoman Phumla Williams said: “This disintegration is extremely disappointing, as it perpetuates the ills of the apartheid era.

“Such acts were the main causes of a divided South Africa.”

Williams said all South Africans were governed by the Constitution, which catered for people of all races and religions.

Kleinfontein residents benefited from government services.

“We strongly discourage them from lobbying for the town to be declared independent from the Tshwane municipality, as this will be contrary to the Constitution of this country,” she said. - Sapa

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