GARDEN ROUTE | KAROO NEWS - The Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) says while the South African National Government officially abstained from criticising its Russian ally at the United Nations, one of only 35 countries to do so, the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town illuminated the Provincial Government Building and the Cape Town City Hall in blue and yellow to broadcast their unequivocal support for Ukraine.
CIAG wants independence for the Western Cape and demands that the province be offered a democratic exit mechanism.
Phil Craig, CIAG spokesperson says: “South Africa under the ANC has always aligned itself with the communist block and turned a blind eye to human rights abuses, undemocratic government, and totalitarianism. Its increasingly morally reprehensible conduct is simply a reflection of the countries it wishes to emulate. Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe are examples.
He says in contrast, the Western Cape aligns itself with the West, advocating for liberal democracy, a less rigidly controlled economy, and the rule of law.
Craig concludes: “The Western Cape did not elect the South African government, they voted emphatically against it as they have done for three decades… A provincial referendum must be held as a matter of urgency to give the Western Cape people a means by which to opt out of being ruled by a national government they didn’t elect.
“It cannot be that an immoral national government is allowed to force itself upon a province which despises it.”
ANC takes on WC
This comes after the ANC in the Western Cape today attacked Premier Alan Winde and the Western Cape Provincial Government in a statement for unequivocally condemning the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.
The ANC Western Cape says it notes the “desperate and embarrassing attempts by Alan Winde to run a parallel state from that which is unitary and democratically elected by the people of this country”.
The ANC says the Premier and his Provincial government have crossed the line. “The South African democratic constitution defines our country as a unitary state. Provinces do not enjoy federal status where they can willy nilly develop policies that are directly opposed to policies and positions taken at the national level.”
The ANC says matters of international relations are driven at national level through the Department of International Relations and Co-operations (DIRCO). “One provincial minority government cannot override nor define itself outside of the overall governance of our country.
“President Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC Government has correctly expressed deep concerns on the escalation of hostilities between the Ukrainian and Russian governments. We have called for and supported efforts aimed at encouraging dialogue as a means to find lasting solutions and discouraged at all material times the use of brute force to settle conflict.
“Our Government’s approach to international relations has always been underpinned on the principles of peace and dialogue as the best option to stop a bloody conflict. We remain deeply concerned for those suffering from the impact of the war. We continue to call for a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine, we are encouraged that negotiations in Belarus are ongoing to find a lasting solution to this impasse.
“One thing we will not accept, is a racist and repugnant DA government’s continued cheap attempts at federalism. They started these cheap stunts by abusing the provincial legislature in draping it in partisan colours of Ukraine and now the Premier makes pronouncements on international relations policy that he has not mandate on.”
The statement ends as follows: “The ANC will oppose every attempt by the DA in the Western Cape to run a parallel state.”
WC will not be silenced
In response Premier Winde says the ANC has made its position on the illegal invasion of Ukraine clear.
“They refuse to name the aggressor or admit that this is a violation of international law. You will find no condemnation of the government of the Russian Federation in their statement.
“In fact, they are more outraged by our government’s decision to take a principled stand in support of international law and human rights, than by an illegal invasion of a sovereign state, that is seeing hundreds of civilians die. This is inexplicable.”
He says the Western Cape Government cannot and will not remain silent in the face of a major international crisis, that threatens the very foundation of our liberal international order.”
He ends by again clearly stating the Western Cape’s stance on the Ukrainian conflict: We condemn the illegal invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation. It is a violation of international law, and it must stop.
To read the Western Cape Government’s statement condemning the invasion of Ukraine, visit: The Western Cape Government.
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