Is the secession of South Africa possible?

Secessionist Movements in the Western Cape Develop – But the Idea of an independent state is nothing more than a chimera?

Secession is, by definition, a process of withdrawal; whereby a smaller group chooses to abandon centralized government administration, advocating for independence, sovereignty and self-determination.

The questions outweigh the answers in the secessionist debate – purely because of the hypothetical nature of the possible outcomes

that the path of independence, autonomy and the freedom is paved with bloodshed.

National governments will do everything in their power to prevent a successful secession. If you have any doubts about this, take a look at South Sudan. Of course, the African country managed to achieve independence in 2011, but at what cost?

On July 9, 2011, South Sudan became the 54th independent country of Africa. But, the cost of independence comes with a hefty price – about 300,000 people killed in what has been described as the most brutal civil war in Africa in recent times.

Although South Sudan is not the best example and historically, other groups trying to separate from their countries have been met with bullets and sticks. Yugoslavia and Kosovo, Eritrea and Ethiopia do not forget the border war between South Africa and Namibia and its quest for independence.

To understand the secessionist movements in the South African context, we must examine the basic reasoning

The secession of the Western Cape in theory

Recently, the Khoisan king, Khoebaha Calvin Cornelius III, handed to Parliament a notice of expulsion and hoisted a flag proclaiming that the Western Cape had seceded from the South. Africa. The move was met with disbelief, applause and laughter.

Proclamation of the Sovereign State of Good Hope was nothing more than a farce. In simple terms, the South African constitution does not allow secession.

Article 235 of the Constitution states:

"The right of the entire South African people to self-determination, as it is manifested in the Constitution, exclude, within the framework of this right, the recognition of the notion of the right to self-determination of any community sharing a common cultural and linguistic heritage, within a territorial entity of the Republic or any other determined by national legislation. "

But the question of self-determination raises uncomfortable questions about race, culture and nationalism.

The Cape Party are the protagonists of the Western Cape's independence movement. The political party website states:

"We are stolen economically.

We are oppressed racially and culturally.

It's our choice! We can end it and build a prosperous country! 19659004] If the South African government controlled by the ANC does not negotiate with us to stop its policy of persecution against Cape Town and its inhabitants, we will be forced to pursue our only option … By lawful and peaceful means , we will strive to organize a democratic referendum in which we, the inhabitants of Cape Town, will decide our future and our destiny as an independent state … The Republic of Cape Town. "

& nbsp; History has refuted the notion of peace revolution, secessionist rhetoric prevails in the Western Cape. Why does this province, precisely, want to break with South Africa?

Obviously, the answer is political – but it's more than that. The West Province is administered by the Democratic Alliance (DA), the official national opposition party. Under his political leadership, the Western Cape is perceived as the "best managed" province in the country

. The Cape Town Movement believes that the African National Congress (ANC) has deliberately destabilized the Western Cape. The Cape Town Party emphasizes historical factors, cultural differences and federal nepotism as reasons for secession, saying:

"The ANC government introduced policies such as the law on the" death penalty ". employment equity, Black Economic Empowerment, affirmative action, nationalization / seizures of land (farms and mines), processing, redistribution and quotas that would ensure that all aspects of society would be racially structured

Economics, education, politics, companies, national monopolies (Eskom, Telkom), the media (SABC, mainstream newspapers) all the sport would be structured on an ever increasing racial quota.In fact, the true "rainbow nation" South Africa, the ethnically diverse Cape, would be most affected by racist policies of the ANC. "

Does rhetoric revolve around racial exclusion? flames of the has bigotry, but in reality a secession of South Africa.

In other words, the ANC government, or any other government, would not allow secession.

In this case, it is clear – The Western Cape represents 424.38 billion rand from the national gross domestic product (GDP) of South Africa.

Remove this money from the country and all the house of cards collapse.

The secession of the Western Cape in reality

Although in theory, the secession of the Western Cape promises greater opportunities for "all" – in reality, the province will fight for its own autonomy [19659004] The province is unable to maintain its current population independently. While pockets of arable land surround the Cape Road and Gardens, the barren and austere interior Karoo denies agricultural dominance.

The fracturing of oil or gas in the Karoo is the only access to any kind of mineral wealth

Then there is the current drought, the prevailing water shortages and the lack of coal reserves necessary for the energy.

Prospects for an independent western province are bleak.

Yet, far from pessimism, there may be few strategies for self-sufficiency – but they question the idea of ​​pure and simple independence.

With regard to resources; good business and investment opportunities are the only options for sustainability. The Republic of Cape Town should forge unbreakable foreign relations – in doing so, perhaps even market independence for sustainability.

The Karoo contains huge reserves of shale gas that could be monopolized. The province has a massive coastline that can support fishing and trade. But will that suffice?

The answer is: no one can know – but is it worth the risk?

Moreover, all the hypothetical variables and strategies are interesting discussions, but all of this is superfluous. 19659004] Independence can not be achieved peacefully;

The civil war is too much to pay – especially when it is perpetuated, not by a need to free oneself from tyranny, but by a separatist intolerance centered on exclusion rather than on the other. ;exclusion. progressive unit