Preaching white supremacy in South Africa

By Barnaby Phillips
BBC, Northern Cape

Almost 10 years after the end of apartheid, far-right religious groups in
South Africa appear to be growing.

Reverend Smith has offered his spiritual services to right-wingers
accused of treason
With a message of white supremacy, they find converts amongst some
Afrikaner people who feel increasingly insecure in the new multi-racial
democracy.
Reverend Willie Smith founded the church of Lewende Hoop (Living Hope)
five years ago and preaches that Afrikaners are God's chosen people.
He says he now has 30 congregations, and thousands of followers all over
the country.
The majority of South Africans find the message of this church deeply
offensive. But for a minority of Afrikaners it provides reassurance in a
country that is changing so fast all around them.
"We know that we are God's people, he forbid us to mix with other
nations, to marriage with other nations, to live on the same level as
they are. We see this ANC government as punishment [for abandoning
apartheid]," says Reverend Smith.
Farmer's fears
In the beautiful but harsh landscape of the Northern Cape, that message
can fall on willing ears.
I drove into the countryside, to understand the fear behind these ideas.

Like many members of the new church cattle-farmer Johan Kirsten is deeply
conservative and he feels increasingly threatened in the new South
Africa.
Mr Kirsten worries about the murders of hundreds of white farmers in
recent years - and he believes the Afrikaans language is slowly dying.
In May, 22 Afrikaners went on trial, accused of plotting a bombing
campaign to overthrow the ANC government.
Reverend Willie Smith says he has offered to be their spiritual leader -
little wonder that South Africa's Government is starting to take notice
of the new Afrikaner churches.
'Olive branch'
In the Northern Cape, it is the bread and butter issues - jobs and
health, that worry the black majority - not resurgent Afrikaner
nationalism.
But the mayor of the town of Kuruman, Emmanuel Kgopodithate, says he will
hold out an olive branch to any extremist groups.

Mayor Kgopodithate wants to reassure the worried whites about black rule
"I would call upon them to join hands with us and work with us. To work
side by side with us and make sure this country does not go astray.
"We'd like to discuss these things with them and assure them that their
future is safe with this present government."
The Afrikaners did so much to shape this country but a few are still
struggling with the momentous changes of the past decade - trying to turn
the clock back, as South Africa moves on.