Cape independence: Difference between revisions

'''Cape independence''' ([[Afrikaans]]: ''Kaapse onafhanklikheid''; [[Xhosa language|isiXhosa]]: ''inkululeko yaseKapa''), also known by the portmanteau '''CapeXit''',<ref name=":11">{{cite web|date=31 May 2021 |title=The CapeXit mission: Can this be Brexit for the Western Cape?|url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/capexit-independent-country-western-cape/ |access-date=19 August 2021 |website=The South African|language=en-ZA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230119221626/https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/capexit-independent-country-western-cape/ | archive-date=19 January 2023}}</ref> is a [[political movement]] that seeks the independence of the [[Western Cape]] [[Provinces of South Africa|province]] (alongside Afrikaans-speaking portions of the [[Eastern Cape|Eastern]] and [[Northern Cape]] provinces in some proposals)<ref name=":1">{{cite web|date=17 July 2018 |title=Khoi-San king declares that the Cape has seceded from SA|url=https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/khoi-san-king-declares-that-the-cape-has-seceded-from-sa/|access-date=17 August 2021 |website=[[The Citizen (South African newspaper)|The Citizen]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720132723/https://www.citizen.co.za/news/south-africa/khoi-san-king-declares-that-the-cape-has-seceded-from-sa/ |archive-date=20 July 2023 |language=en}}</ref> from [[South Africa]].<ref name=":14">{{cite web|first=Unathi |last=Nkanjeni |title=An independent Western Cape on the cards? Here is what you need to know about the independence bid |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-06-01-an-independent-western-cape-on-the-cards-here-is-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-independence-bid/|access-date=17 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404025001/https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2021-06-01-an-independent-western-cape-on-the-cards-here-is-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-independence-bid/|website=TimesLIVE |archive-date=2023-04-04 |language=en-ZA}}</ref><ref name=":6"> {{cite web|date=18 July 2020 |title=Westkapers streven naar onafhankelijkheid |trans-title=Western Capes strive for independence |url=https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1053451044/westkapers-streven-naar-onafhankelijkheid|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404012516/https://www.telegraaf.nl/nieuws/1053451044/westkapers-streven-naar-onafhankelijkheid |archive-date=2023-04-04 |access-date=17 August 2021 |website=[[De Telegraaf]] |language=nl}}</ref>

Section 127 of the South African Constitution gives provisions for the Premiers to call for referendums in their own province.<ref name="cons_ref">{{cite web |title=Provinces -– Chapter 6, Section 103-150 |url=https://www.justice.gov.za/constitution/chp06.html#:~:text=127.,the%20Constitution%20and%20any%20legislation.&text=(f)%20calling%20a%20referendum%20in,in%20accordance%20with%20national%20legislation. |website=The South African Constitution |publisher=The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. |access-date=20 July 2023}}</ref> However, this is not currently legally possible. The Democratic Alliance has introduced a bill in 2021 to align the law with the constitution.<ref>{{cite web|last=Felix |first=Jason |title=Premiers must have powers to call for referendums for greater devolution of power – DA |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/premiers-must-have-powers-to-call-for-referendums-for-greater-devolution-of-power-da-20210625 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230720145615/https://www.news24.com/news24/southafrica/news/premiers-must-have-powers-to-call-for-referendums-for-greater-devolution-of-power-da-20210625 |archive-date=2023-07-20 |access-date=17 August 2021 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref> In addition, section 37(f) of the constitution of the Western Cape also gives provisions for Premiers to call for referendums. Proponents of secession hence argue that it is a possibility to hold a referendum on Cape Independence within the Western cape.<ref>{{cite web|author=Staff Writer |title=New bill wants a big shake-up for politics in South Africa – including the end of poor service delivery |url=https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/498211/new-bill-wants-a-big-shake-up-for-politics-in-south-africa-including-the-end-of-poor-service-delivery/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404004920/https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/498211/new-bill-wants-a-big-shake-up-for-politics-in-south-africa-including-the-end-of-poor-service-delivery/ |archive-date=2023-04-04 |access-date=18 August 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Recently, this view was undermined when Dr Alfred de Zayas, the United Nation's (UN) 'Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order', tabled a report to the General Assembly of the UN in 2014 which clarified that self-determination cannot be limited to de-colonisation and that secession is a legitimate expression of self-determination.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2014/11/statement-alfred-maurice-de-zayas-independent-expert-promotion-democratic-and|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230720151405/https://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2014/11/statement-alfred-maurice-de-zayas-independent-expert-promotion-democratic-and |archive-date=2023-07-20|title=Statement by Alfred-Maurice de Zayas, Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order at the 69th session of the General Assembly|website=OHCHR}}</ref> De Zayas followed this up with a 2017 paper 'The law on self-determination today'<ref>[https://ccncat.cat/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AdZ-self-determination-today.pdf AdZ self-determination today] ccncat.cat</ref> and a second report to the UN General Assembly in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/ahrc3763-report-independent-expert-promotion-democratic-and-equitable |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230720151522/https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/ahrc3763-report-independent-expert-promotion-democratic-and-equitable |archive-date=2023-07-20 |title=A/HRC/37/63: Report of the Independent Expert on the promotion of a democratic and equitable international order -– Note by the Secretariat|website=OHCHR}}</ref>

ThreeThere have been three [[opinion poll]]s have been completed to date, all of them conducted by Victory Research,<ref>{{cite web|last=Guppy |first=Darius |title=The growing case for an independent Western Cape |url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/the-growing-case-for-an-independent-western-cape |access-date=18 August 2021 |website=www.spectator.co.uk |date=12 September 2020 |publisher=[[The Spectator]] |language=en}}</ref> a pollingSouth African based market research company whose clientele includes the Democratic Alliance, [[Uber]], [[British American Tobacco]], First Rand, and [[KPMG]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Client – Victory |url=https://victoryresearch.co.za/client/ |access-date=17 August 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>

Some proponents of independence claim that South Africa is a highly racialised country. TheIn CIAGan pointsAugust out that2023 pollingpoll conducted inby the WesternCIAG, Capeonly on31% theirof behalfBlack foundrespondents agreed that 69%"I ofbelieve Black-African people believedthat South Africa inherently belongs to Black-Africanseveryone andwho alllives otherhere groupsregardless shouldof behavetheir asrace", guests.compared In contrast,with 80% of Coloureds and 88% of Whites agreed that South Africa belongs to all those who live in it.<ref name="poll_23" />

Likewise, proponents argue that race-based laws, such as [[Black Economic Empowerment|Black Economic Empowerment (BEE)]]—which is a policy aimed at addressing the [[Wealth inequality in South Africa|inequalities]] created by [[apartheid]] implemented by the national government unfairlygovernment—unfairly discriminate against most inhabitants of the Western Cape. Coloured leaders such as Fadiel Adams state that under the current BEE laws, coloured people are unfairly discriminated against. As national demographic quotas (nine percent) are imposed upon a region where coloureds make up the majority.<ref>{{cite web|last=Patel |first=Nereesha |date=7 June 2018 |title=Who Are 'Gatvol Capetonian', And Why Do They Hate Politicians So Much? |url=https://www.2oceansvibe.com/2018/06/07/who-are-gatvol-capetonian-and-why-do-they-hate-politicians-so-much/ |access-date=9 October 2021 |website=2oceansvibe News {{!}} South African and international news |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Proponents hence campaign on making an independent Cape non-racial where race-based laws (and even racial categories) are outlawed.<ref name=":15">{{cite web|last=Craig |first=Phil |title=OPINION {{!}} Dear Melanie, Cape independence stinks of democracy, not racism! |url=https://www.news24.com/news24/columnists/guestcolumn/opinion-dear-melanie-cape-independence-stinks-of-democracy-not-racism-20210413 |access-date=17 August 2021 |website=News24 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":10">{{cite web|date=2 June 2019 |title=Western Cape Independence Activists Encouraged by Provincial Election Results |url=https://theworldunreported.com/2019/06/02/western-cape-independence/ |access-date=19 August 2021 |website=The World Unreported |language=en-GB}}</ref>