Pretoria: Living in the Land of Apartheid

Summary:

- Filadelfia Ark is a self-sufficient care center founded by Dirk Van Vuuren to provide a safe haven for destitute Afrikaners facing unemployment, drug issues, and crime under a "foreign" government.

- The community has various roles such as farmers, teachers, cooks, and hairdressers, and emphasizes cleanliness, order, and daily routines.

- Residents recount personal struggles, such as losing family members, dealing with addiction, and coping with harsh societal changes affecting employment and security.

- The farm is tightly controlled with strict rules and routines to maintain order, including daily inspections and separate rules for young girls.

- There is a pervasive sense of hopelessness and resentment towards the current government and societal changes, with a belief that only repentance and divine intervention can bring about change.

Youtube Channel: Best Documentary, produced by :

Barber Shop Episode 6 – Pretoria West / South Africa

Director: Luc Vrydaghs Producer: Emmy Oost

Production: Cassette for timescapes

Watch the video on Youtube here

Full Transcript:

### A Day in Filadelfia Ark

**What happened on Saturday?**

I went back to drinking.

**Why?**

I've been sober for a long time, and I wanted a drink.

**Yes, but what good does it do? Why did you start drinking again? You have a wife and kid now.**

They mean a great deal to me.

**- There you go.**

I'm Dirk Van Vuuren. I'm in charge of Filadelfia Ark, a care center for destitute Afrikaners. People who no longer feel at home in the outside world come here seeking help. For 15 years, we've lived under a "foreign" government that had no regard for the fate of poor Afrikaners. We started noticing a real decline. Drug dealers had taken over everything. There was no more work for our people. Children were ending up in prostitution. That's when I decided to create a safe haven for these people. That's how Filadelfia Ark started.

Filadelfia Ark functions as an autonomous community, 80 percent self-sufficient. Everyone here has their own task to fulfill. We have farmers, teachers, cooks, and even a hairdresser. Adri cuts the hair of all the inhabitants.

**How's Steven?**

Good, good. He's working now. He works from 5 am until 5 pm.

**Are the two of you better?**

Yes, we're not drinking anymore.

**That's the most important. I'm happy for you.**

Circumstances brought me here. I lost my husband. I was allowed to stay, but my daughter had to leave because of her behavior. So, I ended up here alone.

**Is she potty trained yet?**

No, not yet. At night I put her in a diaper and during the day she pees in her pants. Auntie Lenore tells me not to hit her for that. You shouldn't. You'll make her scared of the potty. Turn it into a game, sister.

**Yes, with walking, I made a game out of that.**

And she started walking?

**Yes, she started walking. It looks nice, hey?**

Yes.

**Thank you! We'll see you soon.**

Thank you. See you later.

**Uncle Dirk told me I was staying here. I'm not leaving, you know. My brother told me, "Yes, you're going to the old people's home. Your things will be sold." Do you understand? I told him, "You're not the boss of my things." I'm the boss of these things. I'm the boss of my caravan. Uncle Dirk said nothing like that would happen. "This is the old people's home. You're already in the old people's home." As long as everyone does their share, Uncle Dirk will do his share too. You understand? Everything fair, you see, there's nothing wrong. If Uncle Dirk says this is how it is, then they have to do it. This place belongs to him. It's his farm. He calls the tune and the men just have to dance. Uncle Dirk is a good man. But, brother, he can get angry too. There are a few rules on the farm. Your room has to be tidy. I don't want a dirty room or dirty clothes. We wash every day here, and we're clean. This is Auntie Madeleen. She's your new mum. If you have any problems, talk to her.**

Are these the only clothes you have?

**They gave me clothes. I got three pairs of trousers and two pairs of socks.**

Do you have shoes?

**I was given shoes. Listen to me. You ended up here in a fortuitous way. It's our Father who brought you to this place. He loves you very much. He lets things get difficult to make you stronger.**

**Yes, but like I told Auntie, it feels like someone has stuck a knife into my heart and is cutting it into little pieces.**

Just remember, He always has control over your life. Quiet now, son. You've arrived.

**Have you heard from Bonnie?**

She's doing well.

**Really? Maybe she's lying to me again. She's only visited once and never called after that.**

I recently heard she's married.

**You can't believe everything people say. I don't see them anymore. But she looks good.**

Really? That makes me happy. I haven't seen her in a very long time.

**Is Charlene better?**

Satanist, through and through.

**Still?**

My sister saw her on Facebook. She had shaved off all her hair and was wearing strange clothes.

**Wow. I stay away from that. Uncle Dirk told me that's best.**

Rightly so. When you live with this many people, there has to be order. We start with a parade, like in the army. We do inspections every day. The cabins have to be tidy and clean. We also keep an eye on behavior. For the young girls, there are separate rules. Their parents aren't always strict enough. At 8 pm, they have to be home. They must never be alone with a man without supervision.

**When are we having another karaoke?**

I don't know.

**Why have we never held a Valentine's Day Ball?**

Uncle Dirk doesn't believe in it.

**In Valentine's Day?**

He says you either love someone or you don't. He says that's how men and women start betraying each other.

**Because of Valentine's Day?**

Mhm. The biggest crisis is employment. The new legislation requires all farms working with black laborers to give a 50 percent share of the farm to those laborers. Not sell to them, give to them! The worst is that positions once held by whites, administrative and executive, are now sought by blacks. At places like the airport, whites can't work during the day "because we are too white." They don't even want laborers to be white. Criminal activity has been rising constantly. Look how my friend is forced to live, with double fences and security guards. It's terrible. The thief's mentality is, "He must have money to put up so many fences. He must have something to hide. Let's go take a look."

I had a run-in with one of these criminals. He said, "I'll take your baby and put him in the microwave oven. You! Open the safe. I want the money." That's how he spoke. So you can lock yourself in, but once he's in, and his gun or knife is on your wife's throat, you do what he tells you. They're more for the "K*****" than for us whites. It's a dangerous nation, a cross between a jackal and a "fuckall." But here, it's safe.

**OK, the tarring group first, then Uncle Peet and his group, then the rest. Dawie, Piet, Armand, Danie, Brian, Sean, Bertus, Jean-Pierre, Phillip, Riaan, Tinus... Johan Mostert. Thank you, Uncle.**

Get up earlier, OK!

**Adriaan. Hello, Uncle Dirk.**

Hello, Arnold.

**Thank you, Uncle Dirk, have a nice day.**

Mitsy. Ryan. New man.

**Thanks. Dear Ryan, you're a new man. I don't have to give you anything. We give what we have. That's how you start. If things go well, you will earn more and more.**

**Thank you, Uncle.**

Have you got a bag, please? No climbing up there. You'll all get a spanking. Stop it. Stay away from the clothesline.

**It would be nice to get a TV. Those TVs cost 1200 rand, but he'll sell it for 250. It's just missing the remote, but I can buy one.**

**Has Stokkie got his own TV?**

Yes, so he can watch the rugby at night. When it gets dark, we start keeping an eye out and begin patrolling the farm. One night, it was pitch black. I passed a spot and noticed something different. I shone the torch on it. It was an intruder from outside. A guy had entered the farm. I called for back-up. They quickly arrived. So far, nothing serious has happened.

I grew up in the East Rand, Johannesburg, in Brakpan. Nowadays, people joke about Brakpan. It's pretty bleak. They say dogs go around in pairs because they're scared the kids will bite them. It's become a really bleak place. We grew up in the Church, very religious. My brother and I always prayed for the truth because we saw how the churches betrayed us. Then we began to think. They murder our people, rape our women, and nobody does anything. Everyone just says: Jesus, forgive them. Then I read other things in the Bible that said: No, it's not like that. So my brother and I decided to kill some of them. But we got caught. My brother and I both got sentenced to 20 years. I've been here ever since.

I want to welcome everyone tonight. The farm has slaughtered its first lamb, and tonight we're going to taste it. I'm going to start with a prayer. Thank you, Father, for allowing us to come together. We ask that You bless our gathering and be here with us. We praise and bless You, Yeshua, the Messiah, Amen.

**Amen.**

**Retiefie, how's the meat looking?**

Good and fatty.

**Nice. Take that man, who was murdered here. That old black man who had worked for the guy, well, Gary told him: "Man, these murders are unacceptable." He just said, "But he doesn't pay people." That was all the old black guy said. He was asking for murder. You can't do that with these people. You'll just make enemies who will stab you in the back. White and black mixed together... It's a mess. Yes, it's a disgrace.**

**Rain is coming, friend. Rain is coming, I can feel it.**

**Tonight the working people will cut corn, will cut corn... My beloved is hanging in the bush, my beloved is hanging in the bush, my beloved is hanging in the bitter berry bush. There have been tears for you. Oh, my love... Read your bible. Pray every day, pray every day, pray every day. Read your bible, pray every day.**

Today is our Sabbath when we all come together. There is something we need to talk about: social costs versus charity. Here, in our country, the money collected by the State is mainly given to black empowerment companies to help poor black people better their situation. Those are the facts. Nobody can say that today there are not enough poor people who need charity. Not in South Africa amongst the whites, amongst the Boers. But that's how it is in this world today. Let us finish with song 3.

**May the Master Yeshua bless you with His love and His spirit of charity descend on you like the rains. Our Father, so grand, gives us our daily bread. That is His love for you and for me. That is His blessing for you and for me. Hallelujah.**

**Last Saturday, or the Saturday before, they also served me a little wine. Just a very small amount. Mate, I really felt its effect.**

**Did it go to your head?**

This one's very light.

**That's true, Uncle.**

**What's this?**

A crocodile they shot in the Limpopo.

**Wow! Poor crocodile.**

A formidable beast!

**We should put crocodiles in those slums. It's awful how those slums are mushrooming. I saw it this morning along the highway. Send in snakes and crocodiles.**

Throw in a few crocodiles. A crocodile has its pride. It won't eat "K******."

**Well said! Who's not 10 yet?**

I'm 10, Uncle!

**Well, you must only swim if your parents are there.**

She waits for her dad.

**Or with another adult.**

I don't see a political solution. I don't see a military solution. Not even a solution involving the churches. There is only one solution, and that is that this people shall turn to repentance. Criminals rule our country. Criminals on both sides fatten themselves, white and black. I see no hope for this system. It must fall and it will fall. The only question is when.

**Do you have children?**

Yes, two sons. One was in an orphanage, the other in foster care.

**He's still in foster care.**

Yes, but he's very naughty. He won't listen to his foster parents. Their father died.

**Oh, OK.**

That's how I ended up in this situation. I had nowhere else to go and no other family who I felt I could go to.

**Just remember, now you've inherited a big new family.**

Yes, that's what I was going to say.