Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Rebecca Davis
Published on 2024-02-22 19:47:13
The Democratic Alliance (DA) recently celebrated a victory after the African National Congress (ANC) surrendered records relating to their cadre deployment policy since 2012. The DA MP, Leon Schreiber, described this as the ANC “bending the knee” and handing over the documents, which could have potentially exposed Cyril Ramaphosa’s involvement in controversial deployment decisions during the State Capture era.
The documents, consisting of 1,344 pages, were made public by both the DA and ANC for scrutiny. However, the information provided was deemed largely unhelpful, with mundane details such as cover letters and CVs of job applicants, and redacted identifying information. The only minutes provided were from the period when David Mabuza chaired the cadre deployment committee, not when Ramaphosa was in charge.
Despite Ramaphosa’s claim of a lack of record-keeping during his tenure, the available minutes contradicted this assertion. They revealed discussions within the committee about appointments to various positions, including Chapter Nine institutions, ambassadorial posts, and even judiciary appointments. This contradicted what Ramaphosa had stated under oath at the Zondo Commission.
While the DA highlighted these revelations, there were doubts raised about the extent of the committee’s powers and influence. Many judge candidates preferred by the committee were not ultimately appointed, suggesting that President Ramaphosa had the final say. Additionally, it was suggested that other political parties likely discussed desirable judicial candidates as well.
The DA’s crusade against cadre deployment may also backfire, as disgruntled former DA leaders have begun to speak out about the party’s internal processes. Former Midvaal mayor, Bongani Baloyi, claimed that the DA’s federal executive approves senior staff appointments in municipalities they govern, akin to cadre deployment. This has prompted threats from the ANC to expose the DA’s own deployment processes.
As tensions rise between the two parties, the political landscape in South Africa is poised for further turmoil. The DA may find itself embroiled in controversies over its own deployment practices, raising questions about the consequences of their grandstanding against the ANC. In the end, it remains to be seen whether the DA’s pursuit of transparency and accountability will prove to be worth the potential fallout.
Read the original article on Daily Maverick
