ActionSA has become the latest political party to voice its displeasure against secessionist Phil Craig, the British born national who is leading the fight for the Western Cape to cede from the rest of South Africa. 

The party’s Parliamentary Chief Whip, Lerato Ngobeni has written to Dr Leon Schrieber, the Minister of Home Affairs, urging him to reject an application for citizenship by Craig on the basis that he is causing disunity among South Africans.

This was after Craig was quoted by a local newspaper lamenting that the Department of Home Affairs was stalling his South African citizenship application process despite being a resident for about 20 years. 

Ngobeni argues that Craig, who is the leader of the Western Cape secession movement known as Cape Independence Advocacy Group, does not meet the requirements as set out in the South African Citizenship Act, 1995 (“the Act”). 

She said Section 5 of the Act gives the minister a discretionary power to grant, and therefore to not grant, to a foreigner, a certificate of naturalisation as a South African citizen based on a variety of factors.

Ngobeni added that ActionSA is of the view that Craig does not meet certain the requirement of section 5, specifically section 5(1)(d), which requires the applicant to be a person or good character, nor does ActionSA believe Mr Craig meets the requirement of section 5(1)(e), which states the applicant must intend to reside in the Republic.

“ActionSA is of the view that any individual who advocates for the secession of the Western Cape and actively undermines the unity of the Republic of South Africa (“the Republic”) is not an individual of good character as is required by the Act. Moreover, if he advocates for the secession of the Western Cape, he clearly does not wish to reside in the Republic, Ngobeni said. 

She added that  ActionSA believes that any individual who sows such disunity amongst South Africans, and who clearly wishes for the Western Cape not to be part of the Republic of South Africa, should certainly not be given the privilege of being given the country’s citizenship as he clearly wishes not to be part of a unified South Africa.

“In the event you approve Mr Craig’s application, ActionSA will consider its legal options in this regard,” she added.