The Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) congratulates Geordin Hill-Lewis on his election as Federal Leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA).
As Mayor of Cape Town, Hill-Lewis has demonstrated a willingness to confront the failings of national government and to push the boundaries of regional autonomy in response.
The DA has long advocated for greater federalism and the devolution of powers to capable provinces. However, recent experience in the Western Cape has shown that even sustained and good-faith efforts to secure such powers have not yielded meaningful results.
This raises an increasingly important question: what constitutional mechanisms remain available when devolution is repeatedly pursued, but consistently denied?
South Africa’s Constitution already recognises the principle of self-determination. Giving practical effect to that principle may prove central to unlocking more meaningful forms of regional autonomy within the existing constitutional framework.
The CIAG looks forward to engaging constructively on how best to advance these objectives in a manner that serves the interests of the people of the Western Cape and South Africa more broadly.
DATE: 13 April 2026
