Why Federalism?

• It is a known fact that all political parties in the RSA cease to refer to federalism or to a federalist state, thus creating a huge vacuum in the RSA politics.
• The corrupt Zuma years have proved that the famous line that absolute power corrupts absolutely is true and is happening.
• The founding principles of our Constitution are inter Alia Rule of Law, separation of power, checks and balances.
• Nine provinces were established, with each province to write their own constitution. Only the Western Cape elected to draft a provincial constitution and have it certified by the Constitutional Court.
• Various municipalities were established with an executive mayor, as its head, who takes executive decisions under certain circumstances.
• Since 1994 there became a push to create a unitary system of governance and to move away from our entrenched constitutional principles of a Federalist state.
• Our RSA Constitution makes provision for an establishing of Charter of Rights [Section 234]. This issue was never seen to be raised in Parliament and as such it is crucial that we should establish or start a nationwide discussion in respect of an establishment of such a Charted of Rights.
• Furthermore Section 235 of the RSA Constitution further provides for a mechanism for communities to protect their culture and heritage but nowhere is this debate to be found.
• There is an urgent need to give more power to provinces and municipalities in order that decision-making be taken at the lowest possible structure.
• The Concerned Federalists were established for the sole reason to strengthen Federalism in our country.
• We believe in a devolution of power to the lowest possible structures.
• We also believe that civil societies is in a steep decline because the decision-making powers are too far removed from the people and as such the people are being disempowered and lose all interest or faith in the system.
• The only way to rectify the above position is to strengthen Federalism in the RSA and stop the entrenchment of a unitary system.