Why we need Cape Independence.
Our economy is failing.
In the Western Cape, our unemployment rate is over 25% ( one of the highest in the world) causing young, talented people to leave the country.
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Over the last decade, South Africa has averaged 0.9% growth per year, whilst the population has grown at 1.2%, meaning that we are all getting poorer, not richer. This trend will continue.
This is because a national government we didn't elect controls economic policy. Control of economic policy is vital for building a successful, first-world economy.
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Only Cape Independence can deliver us control of our economy.
Crime in the Cape is among the worst in the world.
The Western Cape murder rate is higher than any other country in the world.
Gangs control vast areas of our towns and cities making our communities unsafe and feeding an epidemic of drug abuse.
Our rural areas are under siege as well, with farmers and farm workers being subject to a barrage of attacks and murders.
An ANC national government has enabled the crime crisis.
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Only Cape Independence will deliver us control of policing.
Non-racialism in South Africa doesn't exist.
South Africa has over 100 pieces of racially discriminatory legislation, which cause unfair harm to minority groups in the province.
Replacing merit with race is one of the leading causes of South Africa's collapse. Other than a well-connected elite, this collapse hurts everyone.
Election results make it clear: the people of the Western Cape have rejected race-based legislation.
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Only Cape Independence will allow us to pursue genuine non-racialism.
Land invaders are destroying our province.
As South Africa collapses, hundreds of thousands of people flee to the Western Cape. While many people settle here legally and are welcomed, many do so illegally.
Squatter camps are destroying our province. They destroy our environment, make us less safe, worsen community relations and cost our taxpayers billions.
We have to put the people of the Cape first. We have to enforce the law - even when it is politically inconvenient to do so.
Only Cape Independence will allow us to close the borders and stop land invasions.
Our voices don't matter.
Since 1994, a majority of Western Cape voters have never received a national government they voted for. There exists a great ideological divide in South Africa.
In 2024, African nationalist parties (ANC/EFF/MK) achieved 69% of the vote outside the Western Cape, but only 28% inside the province.
While the Government of National Unity (GNU) has created the illusion of stability, this will not last. When, not if, President Ramaphosa goes, it will only be a matter of time before an African nationalist government is formed - with Zuma and Malema driving policy.
Only Cape Independence will stop African nationalists from governing the Cape. It will give us a government elected by us, accountable by us and which can be removed by us if needed.
Is Cape Independence possible?
Yes!
For a detailed explanation of the process, watch this video by the Referendum Party:
How we can save the Cape
(but we need your help)
Campaigning for a referendum on Cape Independence
The Premier of the Western Cape has the constitutional right to call a referendum on Cape Independence.
Unfortunately, Premier Winde has so far refused all requests for a referendum to be held.
The CYF will therefore support a private referendum on Cape Independence, similar to the private referendum held in Veneto, Italy in 2014. The CYF aims to achieve a strong "Yes" vote on a high turnout and to achieve this goal, we need as many youth volunteers to join us and help build referendum branches all across the province.
Social media
Political battles are won or lost on social media. The CYF aims to build a digital network of influencers and content creators across TikTok, Youtube, Instagram and X.
We need millions of people across the Western Cape to see Cape Independence content daily. To do that, we will need your help.
Community organisation
For Cape Independence to succeed, we need a broad cross-section of civil society to support us.
Therefore, we encourage our members to get actively involved in community initiatives, such as neighbourhood watches.
Influencing parties
The DA, not the ANC, is the main gatekeeper to a referendum on Cape Independence. While we recognise they've done a relatively good job at running the province, we need the party to take a stronger stance on autonomy for the Western Cape.
We therefore encourage and aim to support our supporters to join the DA and push for change inside of the party's branch structures.
79% of DA voters support a referendum on Cape Independence - we need to give them the support to be radical.
Supporting Cape patriots standing for office
The Western Cape needs more openly pro-Cape Independence politicians elected to public office.
We therefore aim to support political parties and independent candidates in by-elections as a tool to increase pressure on the DA to call a referendum.
We strongly encourage our members to support the Referendum Party and the Freedom Front Plus, as these are the strongest parties for Cape Independence.
SRC elections
The CYF aims to establish student organisations at both the University of Cape Town and the University of Stellenbosch in order to provide a strong opposition to the dominance of African nationalist parties that currently operate there.