Western Cape would be financially better off on its own
Much of the money the Western Cape contributes to South Africa is then stolen or wasted.
The Western Cape generates 14% of South Africa’s income but in return receives only 10% of the money allocated to provinces. Much of the money the Western Cape contributes to South Africa is then stolen or wasted.
“Remaining part of South Africa is not in the Western Cape’s best interest,” says Phil Craig, the leader of the Referendum Party (RP). “The money the Western Cape generates should be used to benefit the Western Cape people, many of whom live in extreme poverty. Instead, it is being used to fund ANC opulence, corruption, and incompetence. We didn’t elect this immoral national government, and we shouldn’t be funding it.”
Not only does the national government extract financial resources from the Western Cape, but its foolish and short-sighted economic policies inhibit economic growth. The Western Cape's economy grew by just 2.6%* in 2022. If we are going to make a meaningful impact on the welfare of the Western Cape people, we need to be achieving double-digit growth.
Craig continues, “A vote for the DA in 2024 will mean that the ANC will continue to set economic policy, collect our Western Cape taxes, and decide how they are spent. This is because the DA is refusing to grant the referendum on Cape Independence which 68%** of Western Cape voters want. Cape Independence would allow the Western Cape to retain its own tax money and to ensure that it is spent on the Western Cape people.”
The purpose of the RP is not to remove the DA from power but to force it to call a referendum on Cape Independence. It promises to vote against the ANC and with the DA to allow the DA to form a Western Cape Government.
If we do not change the system of government to allow Western Cape voters control of their destiny, then the Western Cape will never fulfill its true potential. Instead, we will remain at the mercy of a national government we have firmly rejected.
*https://www.wesgro.co.za/uploads/files/Wesgro-Research_Western-Cape-Economic-Overview_2022.09.pdf
**Poll conducted by Victory Research on behalf of the Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG)
Photo by Taryn Elliott