MK Party visits Kleinfontein over alleged racial exclusivity
The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, led by Chief Whip Mzwanele Manyi, conducted an oversight visit to Kleinfontein, an Afrikaner-only settlement near Pretoria, amid growing concerns over racial exclusivity cloaked as cultural self-determination.
The visit was prompted by allegations that Kleinfontein is attempting to establish a racially exclusive community similar to Orania.
The MK Party argues that such enclaves exploit Section 235 of the Constitution, which permits cultural self-determination, but is increasingly criticized for enabling segregationist practices.
MK leaders expressed alarm over Kleinfontein’s residency policies, which restrict admission to Afrikaners based on shared language, religion, and cultural heritage criteria that effectively bar non-Afrikaners.
The MK Party announced plans to introduce a Private Members Bill aimed at tightening the interpretation of Section 235, to curb what it views as racially exclusive enclaves undermining South Africa’s democratic values.
Kleinfontein residents defended the settlement, arguing it operates within the law. Established in 1992, the community claims to provide a protected space for Afrikaners to preserve their language, heritage, and traditions. It functions under a shareblock scheme and receives no direct municipal services from the City of Tshwane issues that have led to ongoing legal disputes over land use and taxation.