South Africa’s most infamous town is a place of contradictions. Despite its near-perfect record on crime, the existence of Orania leaves a bad taste in the majority of mouths across the country. The “whites-only” settlement has attracted a lot of media attention recently – but camera crews and journalists aren’t the only ones coming here.

Official population data for South Africa has revealed that Orania’s population is just under 1 700 people. That number has doubled in the past seven years, indicating that the appetite for the exclusionary town isn’t as suppressed as many would think. What is more, the town is gearing up to welcome even more permanent fixtures:

Orania building for the future

A new sewage system

The small enclave in the Northern Cape recently opened its doors to the UK media. Flagship newspaper The Guardian recently compiled a report into what life is like inside of Orania. It’s not an uncommon occurrence. Once or twice a year, international reporters will descend on the banks of the Orange River to satisfy a globally-recognised morbid curiosity. The town was even featured on Netflix’s Dark Tourist.

The British publication paper, meanwhile, came across their plans to develop a sewage network capable of serving 10 000 people. If their population continues to rise at the same rate since 2012, a five-figure community could possibly achieved in the next 15 years. Make no mistake, Orania is ready to expand.

Housing developments

Of course, with an influx of new members, Orania is going to have to bulk up its housing options. They already seem to be way ahead of the curve. Plenty of housing projects – carried out by local residents and working-class Afrikaaner labourers – have been completed over the past 12 months.

Homes, apartments and luxury complexes are being developed with future generations of “Oranians” in mind. The Gannabos Housing Project – with multiple blocks and various properties – is based in one of the town’s most up-and-coming suburbs. Many of the new builds are being established in Kleingeluk.

Much has already been done at the Gannabos Housing project. Located in the expanding suburb of Kleingeluk, the Gannabos HP guarantees newcomers affordable housing. Give us your opinion in the comments below. pic.twitter.com/XAui1g0t1p — Orania – Afrikaner Homeland (@OraniaHomeland) October 10, 2018

A future university in Orania?

The town is home to a vocational training school, offering courses in technical subjects such as welding, building, bricklaying, metalworking and engineering. Many of the graduates here are involved in the construction projects springing up across Orania. However, some of these learners could end up creating a different legacy at this facility.

The school itself is, according to some sources, ready to undergo a transformation to become a university. Certainly, Afrikaaner-interest groups are considering this route in 2019. Back in June, trade union Solidariteit announced their plans to build and finance an Afrikaans-themed education system and university, to the tune of R4.5 billion.

Their plans would run on an alternative basis to the current curriculum, and the blueprints consist of establishing independent vocational colleges, as well as a brand new university and opportunities to “learn on the job”. Work placements and mentorships would also feature in this vision of the future.

Now, as it stands, there is no confirmation that Orania could benefit from this project. However, both Solidariteit and AfriForum have named this corner of South Africa as one of 30 “anchor towns” for Afrikans culture in South Africa. Despite the small size of this Northern Cape dorp, it could become a key area of development for both lobby groups.