The Western Cape will only be successful if it becomes an independent state, argues Freedom Front Plus Provincial leader in the Western Cape and Chief Whip Corné Mulder. In a recent address, he outlined four political scenarios for the province in which secession was his key focus.
“71% of Cape voters do not want the ANC to govern them. Never in the history of South Africa have the people of the Cape ever given their consent to be governed by the ANC. Since 1994 the ANC has averaged only 36% of the Cape vote,” said Mulder. “Over the last decade, that average has fallen to 31%. In 2019, despite Ramaphoria, it dropped to an all-time low of 29%. Our government was not chosen by our people, it was chosen despite them.”
“More and more voters in the Cape believe that the current ANC government has lost all moral authority to govern over us. Not only have they never elected an ANC government but the ANC has become a government of corruption and incompetence. They are obsessed with race and after 26 years of ANC rule they continue to pursue failed policies.”
Mulder then outlined four political options for the people of the Western Cape.
Option 1: Continue as is – maintain the status quo
Option 2: Try to improve the current dispensation
Option 3: Emigrate
Option 4: Go for independence and a free Cape
Speaking on independence, Mulder says he believes that the ‘Rainbow Nation’ has not been delivered as promised, but has instead resulted in collapsed local governments, a stagnating economy, high unemployment figures, rampant crime and massive national debt.
The Cape Independence Advocacy Group, a fellow party that supports an independent state, proposes that the province become self-determined. They argue that there should be a referendum in which every registered voter in the Cape get to vote on whether they would prefer to remain as a part of South Africa and be governed from Pretoria, or whether they would rather break away from South Africa and establish a new independent country.
They argue that this is justified because the Western Cape is ideologically distinct from the rest of the country, and has never had an ANC majority.
CapeXit is another organisation that is very active in this field. In March of this year – CapeXit had 7000 signed up members, and has since risen to 560 321 members who have pledged their support in a future referendum for this. 92% of them are from the Western Cape, says Mulder.
“This huge surge is a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the irrational and sometimes laughable regulations by the ANC government,” said Mulder. “Add to that endemic corruption and lawlessness under this government and it becomes very clear why independence becomes a more and more attractive option for people of the Western Cape.’
“I believe that the answer for the Western Cape lies in a combination of Options 2 and 4. Yes, we should strive to improve the current dispensation and to have more powers devolved to the Western Cape so that we can take our own decisions. However, in the long run, an independent Western Cape is where our future lies. Not in conflict with the rest of South Africa but as an example of what can and should be done,” concluded Mulder.
Picture: Freedom Front Plus