Is the Cape economically viable as an independent country?

The Cape is not only economically viable, it is more economically viable than the Republic of South Africa.With independence we would flourish.

The Western Cape Is losing

We pay

We get back

Therefore, an independent Cape would have an additional R140 Billion at our direct disposal. In the City of Cape Town, the only metropole in the Cape region, we receive the lowest share of all South African cities. Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson (Mayco Executive member for Finance) had this to say about the injustice that Cape Town suffers under the ANC government:

“The disadvantage to Cape Town of the clearly skewed formula for the equitable share is not acceptable. No matter what the arguments are made for relative levels of poverty, it is not acceptable that Cape Town only receives half of what Johannesburg receives and 60% of Ethekwini (Durban) and Ekurhuleni(Mpumalanga). Cape Town taxpayers are entitled to their fair share of VAT and income taxes, irrespective of redistribution needs.” City of Cape Town Budget, (2009/10 – 2010/11) Page 9 According to the latest 2013 data from Wesgro,

Followed by an established agricultural, forestry and fishing sector. These are hallmarks of a well balanced developed economy. This confirms that in spite of the government’s extraction of wealth and destructive economic policies, the Cape is by itself a first-world economy. Compared with some of the most successful economies in the world such as Singapore, Switzerland and Hong Kong (high income per capita, low unemployment), collectively the Cape has a distinct advantage in land, resources, natural energy sources, intrinsic tourism appeal and trade position.

Singapore: Only 707 km2 in size, with a population of 4,8million. In 1965 Singapore became independent. They were a handful of destitute islands with mass unemployment, few natural resources and a shortage of land and clean water. Today they are one of the strongest economies in the world with an income per capita of $57 238*.		Switzerland: 41 284 km2 in size, with a population of 7,6million. They are a small country surrounded by ice-capped mountains with few natural resources aside from fresh water. They have one of the most stable economies in the world and an income per capita of $41 765*.		Hong Kong: 1104 km2 in size, with a population of 6.9million. Hong Kong is a collection of overpopulated mountainous islands with few natural resources. They are consistently ranked as one of the most successful economies in the world with an income per capita of $45 277*. *(International Monetary Fund 2010 – PPP income per capita)		South Korea: In 1960 South Korea’s GDP was the same as that of the newly independent African state of Ghana. Today, through sound economic management it is now a trillion Dollar economy with full literacy and employment. South Korea has no natural resources and is roughly the size of the Western Cape. During the 1960’s Korea’s economic prospects were disregarded by economists the world over.

Nobel Prize-winning economist Gunnar Myrdal gave this advice: “Asia’s prospects are bleak. Countries such as Korea should stick to what they’re best at Growing Rice”

– Making Globalization Work (Joseph Stiglitz, 2007:30)

In spite of these fallacious economic perceptions that a country is built purely on resources, Korea confounded these sceptics and has become one of the most prosperous nations on earth, with an income per capita of $29 791. Mauritius: 2040 km2 in size, with a population of 1,3million. Since the 1970’s Mauritius developed from a low-income economy to an upper middle income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial and tourist sectors. Annual growth has been in the order of 5% to 6%. The small Indian Ocean Island has one of the highest living standards in Africa. With few natural resources, this country has managed to outstrip the growth of its resource laden African counterparts attracting considerable offshore investment with the banking sector alone at over $1billion. Unemployment is 7.5% and the Mauritian Economy grew by 3.6% in 2010*, during a time of global economic decline.
*(CIA – World factbook)

None of the above countries has the latent and collective potential that the Cape has in the land, resources, natural energy sources, trade position and tourism. The common traits these countries share are good political and economic policies. The Cape has the potential to have one of the highest incomes per capita in the world offering all of its citizens the best standards of living in education, housing, security, employment and health.

…The Cape would thrive as an independent country.

NO!

Firstly, the DA is going to win another landslide victory in the Cape. They have won Cape Town and the Western Cape with either a coalition since 1999, or an overwhelming majority in every election since 2009.

The Cape Independence Party - CAPEXIT needs approximately 5000 votes to get a seat in the City of Cape Town.

5000 votes is a small fraction of the DA’s 1.3million votes. It is one side of the stands at the Newlands Rugby Stadium. With one seat we can at the very least put the topic of Cape independence on the table for discussion. With your support we can do it!

Furthermore, a vote for the Cape Independence Party - CAPEXIT is a vote for Cape independence and is the strongest possible vote against the ANC.

The DA categorically rejects the idea of Cape independence. A vote for the DA will simply delay independence to the day when the ANC finally takes control of the Cape. At which point, the DA will have lost their power and any chance of independence will be gone as well.

The DA is a party with national ambitions who hold the belief that they will overthrow the ANC and win a national election in South Africa and become the governing political party of South Africa. Ones perspective on the possibilities of this aside, the DA has imposed on itself national obligations and as a result is limited in the extent to which they can resist, or wish to resist, the types of ANC policies that directly discriminate against the majority of the people of the Cape.

The Cape Independence Party - CAPEXIT, however, receives its sole mandate from the Cape, and it is the Cape whom we serve first and foremost. The Cape Independence Party - CAPEXIT can oppose the types of ANC legislation and policy that the DA is obliged to accept.

Therefore, a vote for the Cape Independence Party - CAPEXIT will not weaken the opposition toward the ANC, quite the contrary; it will only strengthen the opposition.

Is the independence of the Cape really possible?

Yes!

Our right to self-determination is specifically mentioned in the South African Constitution (S.235). It is guaranteed by international law, the African Union and the United Nations all of which the Republic of South Africa is a bound signatory.

Here is an abbreviated list of just some of the legal documents guaranteeing the intrinsic human right to self-determination:

There are yet other elements to self-determination which even further strengthen the case for independence. One is that if a country was formed through a union of previously autonomous states (see: History) there is a higher propensity for those states to reclaim independence:

Prior to 1910 ‘South Africa’ did not exist.

After the Boer Wars, the British Empire forced together six autonomous entities within the borders of what they called the ‘Union of South Africa’ (named after the territories geographical location in the south of Africa).

The Union of South Africa’s newly formed borders included the two Boer Republics, the two British protectorates, the Kingdom of Swaziland and Lesotho and the two British Colonies, the Cape Colony and Natal Colony.

In 1966 and 1968, Lesotho and Swaziland respectively returned to independence. This accounts for the two ‘holes’ in the current Republic of South Africa. The remaining Colonies and Republics then accounted for the ‘Union of South Africa’.

Every other British Colony in the world, outside of South Africa, has been granted independence. However the Cape still remains locked into a colonial Union enforced by the old British Empire.

The United Nations over the past 50 years has placed increasing pressure (see UN Self Determination: Principle and The Law) on the need for colonial constructs to be removed. The damage of artificially constructed colonial borders has been felt throughout the African continent, and the UN’s role in the recent peaceful referendum for independence in South Sudan is testament to, both Africa and the UN’s dedication towards the right to self-determination. All over the world territories are choosing self-determination.

The recent decision taken by the British people to be independent from the European Union (Brexit) is another example of this trend emerging. Already we are hearing reports of other European regions getting ready to follow suit.

Some countries that have already claimed independence:

Singapore 1965
Lesotho 1966
Swaziland 1968
Bangladesh 1973
The Czech Republic 1993
Slovakia 1993
Eritrea (Ethiopia) 1993
Hong Kong 1997 (Autonomous region with political ties to China)
Serbia and Montenegro 2006
Kosovo 2008
South Sudan 2011

Some other countries that are considering independence:

Scotland, Britain
Ireland, Britain
Quebec, Canada
Greenland, Denmark
Western Sahara, Morocco
Northern Italy, Italy
Kashmir, India
Zanzibar, Tanzania
Flanders, Belgium

Other African Colonies that have returned to independence:

Sudan (1956) – South Sudan (2011)
Ghana (1957)
Nigeria (1960)
Tanzania (1961)
Uganda (1962)
Kenya (1963)
Malawi (1964)
Zambia (1964)
Gambia (1965)
Lesotho (1966)
Botswana (1966)
Mauritius (1968)
Swaziland (1968)
Seychelles (1976)
Zimbabwe (1980)
Namibia (1990)

…Why not the Cape?

Since the forced Union of South Africa in 1910 two of the composite territories have already reclaimed independence.
Lesotho in 1966 Swaziland in 1968



Is Cape independence possible?

…It is probably inevitable.

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