South Africa: Constitutional Assembly Resources

30 May 1995



VOLKSTAAT/SELF-DETERMINATION FOR COMMUNITIES

1. REFERENCE:

Beeld, 29 May 1995, p 5: your invitation to submit views, ideas and proposals in respect of the above aspect of the new constitution.

2. BASIC POINTS OF DEPARTURE

My service years as minister, missionary and committee member of the Department of Education and Training afforded knowledge and experience which evoked particular interest in the above aspect of the new constitution.

Through THEOLOGICAL STUDIES I developed an obedience towards the standards of Christian religion. The principle, treat others the way you would like them to treat you, has always proved to be the best.

A study of PHILOSOPHY, PSYCHOLOGY AND SOCIOLOGY accentuated the fact that the essence of a matter should be reached before decisions are taken or conclusions are reached.

EDUCATION emphasised that cultural treasures acquired as a child are the values affording a nation its own character, the very foundation of value systems and an inextinguishable source of the pursuit of freedom and self-determination.

A study of HISTORY developed an awareness that certain lessons are hard to learn. Suppressing nations through military violence, or even through a majority vote, eventually results in unrest, bloodshed and the destruction of the oppressor as well as his victims. The cream of the nations concerned normally die in freedom fights. Subsequently the oppressors as well as the oppressed become the victims of the next generation of those striving for power.

These truths are essential for the writing of a constitution aiming to unite the compositional national parts of a unitary state. By taking the abovementioned truths into account, a model could be designed which would eliminate the inherent negative powers, replacing them with positive inherent powers developed from within sound structures instead of enforcing structures from outside. Freedom is an inherent characteristic. Ignoring this characteristic or oppressing it, means the death of any state system striving to develop and survive.

3. BASIC CONCEPTS : A TRI-MODEL

The diversity of the South African population is an incomparable wealth. In order to unite this diversity into a unity under a constitution requires that certain basic concepts or truths should be taken into account:

3.1 Three basic concepts

3.1.1 Religion and the cultural forms according to which religion is exercised, is inherent in each nation.

3.1.2 Language as the medium through which a nation expresses all its values, life philosophies, national psychology and social structures, is the soul of the nation.

3.1.3 The education of the children of each nation holding its past in high esteem and wishing to ensure its future is vital. Education reflects traditions and values built over many centuries.

3.2 A Tri-model

The proposed tri-model is explained and justified in the following paragraph:

3.2.1 A unitary state (Empire) with a central government with all power at its disposal.

3.2.2 Provinces (federated states, colonies) forming part of the unitary state and governed centrally through designated powers and funds and paying tax to the central coffer. Provincial governments have limited powers designated to then through central legislation.

3.2.3 Volkstaat (Dominion) is a self-governing state with freedom and power in respect of the above three basic elements of its household as well as in respect of its taxes, legislation and other governing powers. The Volkstaat or Dominion is linked to the back of the central government by reason of the recognition of the Head of State (king, president, emperor or whatever the case may be) for the sake of common interests with regard to priority commercial relations, political liaisons, cultural liaisons, security and other partnerships. Within the empire of a unitary state more than one volkstaat may exist.

4. JUSTIFICATION

Through the centuries unitary states attempting to cover various nations under one umbrella came into being. A few examples would illustrate and justify a tri-model proposal.

4.1 THE GREEKS

Over the years the Greeks developed a language never matched again and accepted as a cultural language by other nations who were impressed to the extent that Greek literacy and culture became sought after, albeit by choice. With the advent of Alexander the Great a desire developed to unite surrounding nations into a unity within which philosophy, Greek science and superior state institutions would be subjected to a unitary state, which meant bloodshed and suffering to a great number of people. To subordinate nations marvellous Greek culture became a bitter experience which involved a great fall!

4.2 THE ROMANS

A similarly powerful kingdom was built by the Romans, who developed the parliamentary system not only into a great art, but also into a dictatorship. Their legal system excluded corruption as far as humanly possible. Roman mathematics and engineering are valid to this day. Here, too, military power meant that the whole of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East were conquered and developed into a powerful unitary state. Although Pax Romana was widely lauded, the kingdoms fall was inherently determined.

4.3 EUROPEAN UNITARY STATES

In imitation of these major kingdoms European nations started forming kingdoms with a central unitary government. The Portuguese, Spaniards, Dutch, Belgians, Germans and the English formed world empires. we in Africa realise what these kingdoms/empires meant to us. Only now we are busy escaping from these kingdoms and central governments, although we are classified as third-world states. Who would ever be able to measure the blood and tears?

EVENTUALLY ALL KINGDOMS CAME TO A FALL FOR THE SAME REASON:

INTERNAL REBELLION WITH ALL THE ACCOMPANYING SUFFERING.

The fall of all these kingdoms was caused by the inextinguishable spirit of freedom inherent to the human being. From the very day that nations were oppressed, they have been involved in the freedom fight, eventually causing the fall of the unitary state. The unitary state is toppled from within and not from outside, i.e. if the freedom of compositional nations is not provided for. The British Commonwealth is an excellent example.

Within the South African context we could and should provide for more than one system within the unitary model. Within each nation there are those who see in the unitary state the opportunity to realise their hunger for power. Offer them the opportunity to do so. There are also those admiring the greatness of a unitary state. Offer them the opportunity to participate in the provincial system. There are, however, also nations who could never be subordinate to others, as proved by their history. They should be provided for in the Dominion system in order to enjoy self-determination but still be allied to the greater entirety.

If the tri-model is designed and provided for by the constitution we would have a unique system providing for the uniqueness of the South African community with its unique history.

This system would eliminate the inherent toppling powers, generating a spontaneous development which through the mercy and wisdom of God could result in true peace. Whilst the world is looking at South Africa for an example of statesmanship let us do so by avoiding the failures of the past and offering an innovative approach.

Wishing you wisdom in your great task,

DR. J A GREYLTNG


PS: You need not be reminded of current centrally governed macro states having “exploded” due to increasing pressure from within, with tragic results. Let us learn from history in order to avoid "pressure cooker" systems.