The Free Market Foundation launched its Campaign for Home Rule in Nelson Mandela Bay on Saturday, calling for urgent “state-proofing” and the unplugging of “choke points” through community and local government action.
Speaking at a function in Walmer, the two-man Free Market Foundation team said it was time for communities and municipalities to act to defend themselves against the failures of central government entities, from Eskom to the SA Police Service.
The foundation’s head of policy, Martin van Staden, said the current national government was fundamentally malicious and corrupt, and waiting for it to address problems — from potholes and load-shedding to rape and murder — was futile.
“Supported by the doctrine of necessity, we need to take action as communities against unlawful conduct by the state,” he said.
“SA is a federal dispensation, not a unitary state, and our constitution allows for devolution of power in almost every sector.
“We are excited that this is already happening, but we need to take advantage of this opportunity.
“You are fortunate in Nelson Mandela Bay to have businesses that have an appetite to protect your assets.
“We would urge you to take hands with them and save your communities.”
He said one way to take advantage of SA’s federalist dispensation was to raise money using mechanisms like crowdfunding to overcome the lack of funds made available by the state, and this could then pay for developments or projects prioritised by the community.
Private power plants, a private sector-funded police force and even a private sector-funded prosecution unit, as had already been established by AfriForum, were all possibilities.
“These entities must be put in place to prevent abuse by the state.
“We need to think out of the box. We must stop conciliatory behaviour when it comes to, for instance, expropriation without compensation. The answer must simply be ‘no’.”
Responding to a question from social activist Kholiswa Makalima as to how the Campaign for Home Rule should be carried to communities, Van Staden said structures already in place in these communities simply needed to up the ante.
“My view is our message is already instinctively understood.
“Federalism is emerging. Federalism is boiling. People want to be safe. So get together and organise.
“Forget about the police. That’s a path of total disappointment. If they can be fixed, it will be a 50-year path.
“Start by formalising existing structures, which in itself is the basis of constitutionalism.”
Free Market Foundation chief executive David Ansara said the organisation was politically non-aligned, but was an advocate for individual freedom, free trade, protection of private property, the rule of law and a reduction and decentralisation of the current “interfering and bloated state”.
“We are here to campaign for our ideas, not for ballots, but we believe those are the key steps towards human prosperity.”
He said Nelson Mandela Bay was one of SA's most important manufacturing hubs, but this capacity was being scuttled by load-shedding.
“But upstream of the engineering problems Eskom often refers to is political abuse related to patronage and paybacks for favours.
“It’s a choke point that ripples through your economy.
“We need to step forward to counter this failure by the state.”
He said the Law Enforcement Advancement Programme in Cape Town was an excellent example of what could be done by a progressive metro in the realm of safety and security, yet it still lacked forensic capability.
“So initiatives like this need to be pushed.”
Ansara said while the foundation was outspoken in its support of capitalism as the best way to promote prosperity for all, it was strongly critical of big business for its “social compacts” with the national government.
“This has simply allowed the government to justify its damaging policies and mop up the mess it has created.
“It’s a fundamental strategic error by big business in our view.
“Rather, we need to create power outside the state.”
He said South Africans had the ball in their court.
“No-one is coming to save us. We have to do this ourselves.”
The foundation’s Campaign for Home Rule road show will continue from the Bay through the Garden Route and the winelands districts and culminate in Cape Town on Thursday.
HeraldLIVE
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