Orania – On Monday, the residents of the Afrikaner-only municipality of Orania, located in the Northern Cape, observed “Promise Day,” a date that the rest of South Africa acknowledges as the “Day of Reconciliation.”

The agenda for Promise Day in Orania included sermons delivered by local church leaders and the singing of Christian hymns.

While President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke on the importance of reconciliation and unity in the Western Cape, the Afrikaner community in Orania gathered to honor “the pledge made by our ancestors at Bloedrivier in 1838.”

Previously recognized as Dingaan Day by Afrikaans-speaking South Africans, December 16 was officially renamed Reconciliation Day after the end of apartheid in 1995.

This day serves as a national holiday aimed at promoting unity amongst South Africans of diverse racial backgrounds.

For the people of Orania, it is marked as a success over black individuals and holds significant relevance for the advancement of Afrikaner nationalism.

On December 16, 1838, warriors loyal to King Dingane kaSenzakakhona Zulu attacked Afrikaner settlers along the banks of the Ncome River in KwaZulu-Natal.

However, the gunfire from the Afrikaners overpowered Dingane’s warriors, leading to the deaths of at least 3,000 of them.

This battle caused the river to flow red with the blood of those fallen warriors, hence the name Blood River.

According to Orania’s official Facebook page, the day holds both religious and national significance.

“However, this day also has national importance as we, the Afrikaners, have marked this date due to the vow made every year since the events of 1838.

“Every year, we give praise to God for the miraculous victory granted to that group of Tractors [voortrekkers] against the overwhelming forces of the Zulus.

“In Orania, we treat the day as a Sabbath, featuring celebrations such as a worship service and a keynote address.”

Orania was founded in 1990 by Carel Boshoff, the son-in-law of apartheid architect Hendrik Verwoerd, along with other Afrikaner families.
Boshoff passed away in 2011.

Currently, Wynand Boshoff, Boshoff’s grandson, holds a position as a Member of Parliament for Freedom Front Plus (FF+) in Northern Cape.

Boshoff’s grandfather envisioned a community for Afrikaners who sought self-determination and the opportunity to live together.

Statues of leaders from the apartheid era, like Verwoerd and Paul Kruger, are prominently displayed in Orania, and the former South African flag flies over the town’s structures.

Orania has its own currency, known as the Ora.

The ANC-led government has, up until now, tolerated the existence of Orania, and the town and its history have never been mentioned in the government’s Reconciliation Day speeches.

Ironically, approximately 700 km away in Vredendal, the Valley of Peace, President Ramaphosa was promoting unity among all South Africans in his address.

He noted that Reconciliation Day was an “occasion to remember and celebrate our journey towards nation-building, healing, social justice, and forgiveness.”

“This Day of Reconciliation is dedicated to ‘healing historical wounds and forging new futures’.

“Historically, this day – the 16th of December – has represented the wounds of our past.

“For some, it symbolized a celebration of triumph.

“For others, it served as a painful reminder of conquest and dispossession.

“Since the establishment of democracy, we have strived to eliminate symbols that divide us.

“We have chosen to commemorate the 16th of December as a day of reconciliation, a celebration of our unity in diversity.”

However, in Orania, while changes may occur, many things remain unchanged.