Western Cape’s future lies in independence – FF Plus’ Corné Mulder

The best option for the Western Cape going forward is to improve the current dispensation, but also to work towards an independent Western Cape, FF Plus Western Cape leader Corné Mulder told the Cape Town Press Club on Tuesday.

Mulder said 24 years after the Constitution was adopted, the reconciliation and a democratic and open society envisaged when the Constitution was drafted was not the “spirit or approach of the South African state”.

“What happened to reconciliation and accommodation? Where is the Rainbow Nation?”

He said the ANC government intended to amend Section 25 of the Constitution to allow expropriation without compensation, thereby removing one of the cornerstones of the Codesa settlement.

“In a simplistic liberal democratic model, like the one offered to Africa by the West, 51% of the population force down their will onto the other 49% of the same population. In a homogenous state, where governments replace one another regularly, this may be tolerated.

“In the typically heterogeneous states found in Africa, this is a recipe for conflict and instability. The history of Africa proves this. The opposition, which usually has specific ethnic or language loyalties, does not experience this model as democracy, but rather as permanent oppression and domination. This leads to resistance and subversion.”

He said the Western Cape’s population had never “given their consent to be governed by the ANC” with a majority of votes since 1994.

“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. We still face a huge challenge of inequality and unemployment. In short – the glorious revolutionary movement of the people turned out to be nothing more than a crime syndicate.”

He said as he sees it, the Western Cape has four options: continue as is, thereby maintaining the status quo, try to improve the current dispensation by devolving more powers to provinces, emigrate or go for independence.

According to Mulder, support for the notion of independence in the Western Cape was growing.

He believed the answer for the Western Cape lies in a combination of the second and fourth options – improve the current dispensation and work towards independence.

“Yes, we should strive to improve the current dispensation and to have more powers devolved to the Western Cape so that we can make 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,” he said.

He said obtaining independence won’t be quick or easy. “Section 235 of the Constitution that deals with self-determination creates a legal constitutional route that we can follow.”

Section 235 of the Constitution reads as follows: “The right of the South African people as a whole to self-determination, as manifested in this Constitution, does not preclude, within the framework of this right, recognition of the notion of the right of self-determination of any community sharing a common cultural and language heritage, within a territorial entity in the Republic or in any other way, determined by national legislation.”

Mulder continued: “Just think for one moment how the Western Cape can be developed into an example with economic growth and prosperity. Where we will have equal opportunities for all and where poverty will be eradicated. Where people will once again feel safe and where crime will be effectively dealt with.”

“Western Cape independence impossible and unrealistic? Do not believe that for one minute. We are in Africa, and in Africa anything is possible.”

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