PRESS RELEASE: The Cape Independence Advocacy Group
DA obliged to protect the Western Cape as SA crosses its Constitutional Rubicon
The Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) notes with great concern the alarming events of the last fortnight. Constitutional order in South Africa is breaking down and the response cannot be business as usual.
According to Phil Craig, spokesperson for CIAG, the provincial government of the Western Cape, led by the Democratic Alliance (DA), has a constitutional obligation to defend the people of the province against the immoral and reckless conduct of the national government and other organs of state.
The Western Cape’s Constitution states that the province is founded on democratic values, responsible and accountable government and the rule of law. However, over the past few days, the DA have:
- questioned the integrity of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the constitutional court;
- claimed that the Electoral commission is biased in favour of the ANC;
- called for an enquiry into the Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who they suggest may well have misused her powers and accepted bribes;
- stated that they support the impeachment of the Judge President of the Western Cape, John Hlophe;
- called for the resignation of the minister of police, Bheki Cele;
- questioned the integrity of the chief of police, Khehla Sitole; and
- alleged that the former president, Jacob Zuma, was improperly released from prison by the National Commissioner of Correctional services, Arthur Fraser.
“If the DA believes that Parliament, Police, the Courts and the Electoral Commission have all been compromised – preventing free and fair elections —then they must take urgent action to ensure that democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law in the Western Cape are upheld,” Craig says.
Since1994 the majority of Western Cape voters have never been governed by the national government they voted for. Without drastic action there is no reasonable prospect that this will ever change.
A recent opinion poll conducted by Victory Research showed that 58% of Western Cape voters now favour a referendum on Cape Independence. The DA have already brought a Private Members Bill before Parliament to pave the way for a provincial referendum. Parliament reports having been overwhelmed by public comments in support of the bill and it should reach the committee stage later this year.
“Western Cape voters must be given some democratic mechanism to opt out of ANC misrule. Elections clearly show that the Western Cape has a vastly different ideological perspective when compared to the rest of South Africa. The current system leaves them at the mercy of the national majority. Only independence will give them genuine democracy. A referendum on Cape Independence is now essential,” Craig concludes.
DATE: 10 September 2021
