Craig says CIAG is in talks with the Trump administration for a planned meeting in April to gain support for Western Cape secession.
The Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) leader, Phil Craig, has slammed the South African government for the slow process of finalising his citizenship.
Craig, of British descent, has lived in South Africa for more than 20 years.
Last week, the South African government confirmed that he is not a sokonnect of the country but a permanent resident.
ALSO READ: Cape Independence leaders ‘trying to sell the Western Cape to Trump’
Why Craig is not a sokonnect of South Africa
In an interview with The Citizen, Craig said Home Affairs is to blame for his citizenship problems.
“Like many people in SA, I have struggled for many years with dysfunction at the Department of Home Affairs.
“It is ironic that the president would use my lack of citizenship against me despite me being entitled to citizenship and attempting to claim it when the well-recorded inefficiencies of his government are the reason I don’t have it,” he said.
Talks with the Trump administration
Craig said he is in initial engagements with the United States’ Trump administration about a planned meeting in April. The meeting is part of Craig’s efforts to garner support for the cessation of the Western Cape (WC).
“We are at an advanced stage of planning, but we engaged our government in good faith and have not finalised our US arrangements because the period we offered the government to raise any legal objections has not yet expired. It expires later today,” he said.
‘Do I have a legal right to do it?’
Craig said he was within his rights as a permanent resident to advocate for the independence of the Western Cape.
“I am currently a permanent resident and have been for many years, and I am advocating for Cape Independence in accordance with the rights the constitution affords me now.
“The question is not whether the president personally likes what I am doing; the question is, do I have a legal right to do it? The answer is unequivocally yes!” he said.
Petition against Craig
There have been some attempts by political parties and other individuals to force Craig out of the country through online petitions. He has been accused of sowing division in the country.
However, he denied that he had come to South Africa with bad intentions.
“To some people I am a hero, to others a villain. That is the nature of politics. Of course, our opponents would like to see me sidelined.
“In many regards, this is testament to how effective we are being in advancing the idea of Cape Independence,” he said.
Do black people support Cape Independence?
Meanwhile, Craig says it is not only white people in the Western Cape who support his idea of an independent Western Cape.
“Polling shows a sizeable minority of black voters in the WC support Cape Independence, and we, the executive team that runs the CIAG, is multi-racial and include black people.
“Cape Independence is about improving the lives of all the people of the WC and, as the race group who are currently the least privileged, black people have the most to gain from Cape Independence. It will bring economic prosperity, jobs, better services, and law and order,” he said.
The Citizen has contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment on Craig’s claims. However, there was no comment at the time this article was published.
This story will be updated when as comment is received.
NOW READ: Cape Independence leaders ‘trying to sell the Western Cape to Trump’
