Freedom Front Plus Absorbs Referendum Party: Dr. Corné Mulder Reaffirms Commitment to National Unity Over Cape Secession

FF Plus leader Dr. Corné Mulder denies that merging with the Referendum Party signals a shift toward Cape independence, citing a need for political consolidation.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 30, 2026, 8:50 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from EWN

Political Consolidation Ahead of the Next Election Cycle

The Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) has announced a strategic merger with the Referendum Party, a move aimed at streamlining South Africa’s crowded political terrain. Dr. Corné Mulder, the FF Plus leader, explained that with over 500 registered parties currently active, consolidation is necessary to provide voters with clearer choices. The Referendum Party, founded in 2023, was primarily focused on a single issue: pushing for a referendum on Western Cape independence. By absorbing this group, the FF Plus will oversee the deregistration of the smaller party and take over its database of approximately 8,000 supporters, offering them a direct path to join the FF Plus ranks.

Clarifying the Stance on Cape Independence

Despite the merger, Dr. Mulder was quick to distance the FF Plus from the specific goal of ceding the Western Cape from South Africa. While the party has a long-standing history of supporting the right to self-determination, Mulder stated that total independence for the Cape is not one of its guiding principles. He emphasized that the FF Plus remains a national party with constituents across all nine provinces. "We accommodate the ideals in terms of where we are," Mulder noted, but reiterated that the party's primary commitment is to represent its supporters within the existing framework of the South African state rather than advocating for secession.

Separation from Civic Advocacy Groups

A key distinction made during the merger announcement was the continued independence of the Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG). While the CIAG gave birth to the Referendum Party, it is not part of the merger with the FF Plus. Dr. Mulder clarified that those involved with the CIAG will continue their work as a civic organization, standing outside the formal political structure of the FF Plus. This separation ensures that while the FF Plus may share some thematic overlap regarding provincial autonomy, it does not inherit the specific activist mandates or liabilities of the pro-independence civic movement.