Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Afrikaner Fund?
The Afrikaner Fund is an initiative that was established to provide support, assistance, and opportunities through programs that serve the Afrikaner community.
What is the White Cross Monument?
The White Cross Monument in the Limpopo province in South Africa stands as a stark memorial to the farmers and their families who were killed in farm attacks. Started in 2004 by Tabita (Women for Afrikaans), the hillside has since filled with thousands of white crosses, each marking a life that was cut short in a brutal and senseless way. This living monument is both a grave reminder of unnecessary bloodshed and a call never to forget the suffering of South Africa’s farming communities.
What is the mission of the Afrikaner Fund?
The Afrikaner Fund exists to strengthen Afrikaner communities in South Africa by supporting safety, resilience, self-reliance, and the preservation of freedom and cultural identity.
We support practical initiatives that help communities to protect themselves, to respond to threats, and to build a secure and sustainable future for generations to come.
Why does the fund focus on Afrikaner communities specifically?
The Afrikaner Fund focuses specifically on Afrikaner communities because these are the communities for whom our organization was established to support. Afrikaners are a distinct cultural minority in South Africa, with a unique history, language, cultural traditions, and identity.
Where do donations go?
Donations to the Afrikaner Fund are directed towards practical initiatives that strengthen Afrikaner communities in South Africa. These include projects that are focused on community safety, emergency response, training, equipment, communications, and other measures to improve community resilience and self-reliance.
We work together with established organizations and community initiatives to ensure that funds are directed towards projects with a tangible impact on the communities that they serve.
Who are the South African partners of the Afrikaner Fund?
The Afrikaner Fund works with established organizations and community initiatives in South Africa to support projects that strengthen Afrikaner communities.
One of our key partners is AfriForum. AfriForum has an established network and experience in community safety, infrastructure, and community-based initiatives. We also work with local partners and organizations that have the capacity to implement community-based projects and to deliver practical support on ground level.
Why are farm attacks considered a distinct security concern?
Farm attacks often occur in a rural environment, where properties are mostly isolated and emergency assistance can take longer to reach victims. These factors create specific challenges for prevention, early warning and emergency response.
Why are farm attacks a particular concern for Afrikaner communities?
Farming has played an important historical and cultural role in Afrikaner communities. Many Afrikaners have family, friends, or community ties to farming, making the safety of farmers and rural communities a significant concern.
Who are the Afrikaners?
The Afrikaners are a unique ethnic group in South Africa. They are descended mainly from Dutch settlers who arrived at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652 (when the Dutch East India Company under Jan van Riebeeck established a trading post there), as well as from French Huguenot and German settlers who followed in the ensuing decades. These settlers later became known as Afrikaners They developed their own language, Afrikaans, and a culture that blended European roots with African influences.
From 1652 to the late 18th century, these settlers formed a new nation in southern Africa. They farmed and lived with strong Calvinist beliefs.
Why is there a need for community safety networks?
South Africa had a commando system in place between 1912 and 2003. The system comprised volunteer members (often farmers) who served under the South African Police Services. The commandos protected specific rural or urban communities and were responsible for area-specific civil defenses. South Africa’s rural safety system changed significantly after the commando system was abolished between 2003 and 2008. This led to the increasing importance of other community-based safety networks. In rural areas, where communities are often geographically dispersed, these safety networks help to share information, coordinate responses and support local safety efforts.
The Afrikaner Fund supports community safety initiatives that strengthen vigilance, resilience and cooperation with law enforcement.
How does the Afrikaner Fund help communities respond to farm attacks?
The Afrikaner Fund supports practical measures that help farming and rural communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from security incidents.
This can include the support of community safety networks, emergency communication networks, training, safety equipment, monitoring, and other resources that improve communities’ ability to respond when an attack or other emergency occurs. The Fund works through established partners and local initiatives to strengthen existing community safety networks.
How do we use aerial drones, radios and other equipment?
Technology has become an increasingly important part of community safety. Some established civilian structures operate dedicated drone and air-support capabilities with certified civil pilots to provide an aerial view of large areas.
Civil aerial drones are used
- For aerial observation and scouting,
- For patrol support,
- For situational awareness,
- To search for missing people,
- To support emergency operations,
- To assess difficult or inaccessible terrain, and
- To provide information to responders during incidents.
One established national community-safety network currently has 48 aerial drones, civil aircraft, and trained pilots. It also offers training to develop additional civilian pilots in accordance with South African civil aviation regulations.