The Freedom Front Plus (FF+) has expressed its support for a referendum on the secession of the Western Cape.
The party said on Wednesday it believes the province’s citizens, and not government, should decide whether the province should secede from the rest of the country.
FF+ chief whip Corné Mulder, who is also the party's premier candidate in the Western Cape, revealed that the party is working with Cape Independence, a movement that seeks the independence of the Western Cape from South Africa (CapeXit).
“FF Plus clearly states in our manifesto and in our manifesto at national level that we are a party that stands for self-determination and for the furtherance of that ideal, but the important thing is to understand that there are different forms of self-determination,” he said.
Mulder said there was a strong movement towards the idea of self-determination and the necessity to have a referendum in the Western Cape.
Cape Independence has previously called on political parties to express themselves if they are in favour of their approach.
“And we are not shy to do that. We are going to do exactly that,” Mulder said.
Mulder cited section 235 of the constitution, which he says makes possible what they are striving for. The section provides for self-determination, as manifested in the constitution, but 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 said he understands this will need to be a negotiated process.
“But before you can go into those kind of negotiations, you first need to test the will of the people in that area because we don't know if there is support.”
He said he can't understand why some parties, including the DA, are shying away from a referendum.
“Allow the people of the Western Cape to express themselves. Second, you will go into negotiations with the government of South Africa and with all relevant partners. That's the way it works because the first prize will always remain an internationally recognised, negotiated settlement that creates a reality that we can work with and deliver with.”
Mulder expects a scenario at national level in which the ANC goes into a coalition with the EFF and the Umkhonto weSizwe Party would see more people seeking to secede.
According to Mulder, such a coalition would not improve things in the country, instead things would get worse.
“I can guarantee you the moment that happens, CapeXit will become even stronger.
“It’s the reality of the day because people feel strongly about their way of life and they are not going to allow themselves to be dominated by people who they do not necessarily agree with.”
Mulder said the fact that the ANC has never been democratically elected to govern the Western Cape was another signal of the dissatisfaction with the party in the province.
The fact that its towns have not changed their names and “it’s still Stellenbosch, still Swellendam and that doesn't mean it's a bad thing ...
“It means they still are there and as long as they are being accepted by the people of the Western Cape, there's a strong support base for building up.”
Mulder said the DA was feeling the pressure from the secessionists and hence it introduced the Western Cape Provincial Powers Bill, which seeks to devolve certain powers including rail and policing to the province.
“Why? Those are forms of self-determination. They understand that the pressure is building up and they're trying to alleviate the pressure.”
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