New Political Movement Backs Controversial Afrikaner Enclave Near Pretoria

A fresh political movement, 235 SA, has stepped into the long-running dispute over the Kleinfontein settlement east of Pretoria and they’re not shy about choosing sides.

Kleinfontein, an Afrikaner-only enclave near Rayton, has sparked debate for years over whether cultural self-determination crosses the line into racial exclusion. Now, with local government elections around the corner in 2026, the settlement is becoming a political flashpoint once again.

235 SA Makes Its Entrance, With a March and a Memorandum

Wessel Basson, a representative of 235 SA, says his organisation marched to the settlement on Friday to hand over a memorandum addressed to both the City of Tshwane and the Kleinfontein community. The march was framed as an act of solidarity rather than protest.

“Leave this community alone, they are not doing anyone harm,” Basson said.

But the handover didn’t happen quietly. Basson claims they expected the Tshwane mayor to receive their memorandum instead, they were met by EFF Tshwane chair and MMC for environmental and agricultural management, Obakeng Ramabodu.

He accuses the city of “setting a trap” by sending what he called a “radical EFF member.”

“We’re Not Just Talking, We’re Contesting Elections”

Basson confirmed that 235 SA will take part in next year’s local government elections, not as a formal party but as a political movement.

Their goal? To win wards and use them to create self-governing communities.

“We cannot keep giving our money to a corrupt system,” Basson said. “Where we win wards, we want the community to break away from the municipality and manage themselves.”

This echoes a growing trend of municipal disillusionment across South Africa, where frustrated residents threaten secession from dysfunctional metros.

Article 235, Legal Shield or Political Pretext?

Basson invoked Section 235 of the Constitution, which refers to self-determination for cultural communities within the Republic.

He insisted it does not apply only to white or Afrikaner citizens.

“It’s not written for white people exclusively, but for any race in this country that wants to culturally preserve themselves,” he said.

It’s worth noting that Section 235 has rarely been invoked in practice and is more often treated as a theoretical clause than an actionable policy.

Tension With the City And the EFF

One of the most explosive moments came when Basson claimed the MMC said he would “bulldoze Kleinfontein” if the decision were his alone. The remark has lit up political WhatsApp groups and X/Twitter, with some labelling it reckless and others applauding the sentiment.

The EFF has long opposed what it calls “ethnic enclaves” that exclude black South Africans from land and resources. In contrast, the Freedom Front Plus and pockets of conservative Afrikaner groups have defended Kleinfontein as a constitutional expression of cultural autonomy.

A New Strategy for 2026?

With 235 SA gearing up for its first run in local elections, the Kleinfontein issue may be used as a launchpad for broader campaigns around municipal independence and anti-corruption sentiment.

Political analysts say smaller movements like this often use symbolic battles such as land, identity and governance to mobilise support in rural or semi-rural constituencies.

Public Reaction: Divided but Familiar

On social media, responses have fallen along predictable lines:

• Supporters argue that communities should have the right to self-govern if they feel neglected by the state.

• Critics see the push as veiled racial separatism under the banner of “cultural preservation.”

• Neutral voices note that municipal failures across the country are creating fertile ground for splinter groups to gain traction.

Given rising service delivery protests and mistrust in municipalities, Kleinfontein may not be the last settlement to test the limits of Section 235.

235 SA isn’t just campaigning for Kleinfontein, they’re quietly signalling a broader movement of localised autonomy, fed by distrust in mainstream governance.

Whether this gains traction in 2026 or fizzles out as political theatre will depend on how many communities, Afrikaner or otherwise, start imagining life outside the municipal system.

If you’d like a follow-up sidebar on Kleinfontein’s history, the constitutional debate, or reactions from SANCO or the ANC, just say the word and I’ll draft it right away.

{Source: The Citizen}

Follow Joburg ETC on Facebook, Twitter , TikTok and Instagram

For more News in Johannesburg, visit joburgetc.com