Afrikaans-speaking white people should be regarded as Africans and should not be called Europeans. This viewpoint is emphasised by Mr André Naudé of the Chairpersons Association (CA).

“All local people should be regarded as Africans, even Afrikaans-speaking white people.  Afrikaans is a language of this country and this language derived its name from the continent of Africa. To call the whites ‘Europeans’ is an illusion of reality,” Naudé said on 19 June at a meeting with the mayor of the Makhado Municipality, Cllr David Mutavhatsindi, the acting municipal manager, Mr Elias Mugari, directors and representatives of the Vhembe District Municipality.

In his reply, Mutavhatsindi said that he wanted to talk to Naudé on the Afrikaner-as-African idea and that he wanted to engage with all cultural groups.

After the meeting, Naudé further explained that, according to what he had read from historian professor Louis Changuoin, the Bhavenda arrived in the country in the 17th and 18th century, when they migrated south from Zimbabwe and mid-Africa.

The Afrikaners mark their origin as the arrival of Jan van Riebeeck in 1652. "For the past 360 years, we have not been living in Europe. It is nonsensical to still call us Europeans; we are Africans,” Naudé said. At the meeting, Naudé said that the CA stood for the unlocking of synergy among all cultural groups in Limpopo, South Africa and Africa.

“When this synergy is unlocked and when there is good service delivery, harmony among people will definitely follow. At municipal level, we are not interested in politics but indeed in good service delivery and value for the taxes we pay,” Naudé said. The CA empasised the point of good corporate governance and transparency and the importance of properly trained and experienced municipal managers and directors.

“We regret cadre employment and nepotism at the cost of employing of properly trained people with the necessary expertise,” Naudé said. Because of transparency and the importance of the posts of municipal manager and chief financial officer, the CA requested observer status at the interviews per letter, dated 2 May. 

Mutavhatsindi, however, informed them at the meeting that the CA would not be granted observer status, since he would then have to invite all stakeholders. “At the meeting, we were not afforded the opportunity to respond to the refusal of our request. The refusal is not acceptable to the CA. There has to be transparency, especially in the light of the profound impact that the decisions of a municipal manager has on the everyday lives of residents,” Naudé said on Tuesday.