Orania, Xhosa community to ink deal

2012-12-05 10:13

Johannesburg - An agreement between Afrikaner cultural separatist town Orania and a Xhosa community in the Eastern Cape aimed at promoting greater co-operation will be signed next week, Beeld reported on Wednesday.

The agreement hopes to encourage greater co-operation between communities wanting to be more independent, according to Jaco Kleynhans, spokesperson for the Orania movement.

He told Beeld that the agreement with the Mnyameni community would involve co-operation in education, economics and agriculture.

The content of the agreement would be revealed when it was signed on 11 December, by Carel Boshoff, president of the Orania movement, and chief Siphiwe Mdledle, Kleynhans said.

Mnyameni first approached Orania to discuss a possible agreement that would develop co-operation between the two communities.

Kleynhans said Orania had never intended to exist in isolation, and had always strived for good relationships with other communities and cultural groups.

"We'd like to establish a network of independent communities," he said.

- SAPA