Phil Craig's citizenship application faces backlash from ActionSA.
Image: X
The heat is on for Cape Independence Advocacy Group (CIAG) leader Phil Craig who is British and is seeking South African citizenship.
Craig has been in the country for 20 years but is still not a citizen. ActionSA MP Lerato Ngobeni has penned an open letter to the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, requesting that he reject Craig's citizenship application.
"ActionSA became aware of Mr Craig's application for citizenship in comment he gave in The Citizen Newspaper published on March 25, 2025. ActionSA implores you to reject Mr Craig's application as he does not meet requirements set out in the South African Citizenship Act, 1995.
"Section 5 of the Act gives a discretionary power to grant or not to grant to a foreigner, a certificate of naturalisation," wrote Ngobeni.
She went on to argue that Craig is not of good character because he advocates for the partitioning of the Western Cape.
"ActionSA is of the view that anyone advocates for the secession of the Western Cape and actively undermines the Republic of South Africa is not an individual of good character as is required by the Act. Moreover, if he advocates for the secession of the Western Cape, he clearly does not wish to reside in the Republic."
In addition, a petition that calls for Craig's deportation has gained nearly 50,000 signatures.
"As a proud black South African, I am deeply disturbed by the actions of Phil Craig, a UK national who is causing division in our country. His actions are reminiscent of the apartheid era, threatening to tear apart the unity we have fought so hard to establish. It is unacceptable that an outsider seeks to disrupt our peace and harmony," reads the petition.
IOL Politics