The Citizen (KZN)

DA guns for local ANC

CADRE DEPLOYMENT: PARTY GOES FOR MUNICIPALI­TIES, PROVINCES

- Itumeleng Mafisa itumeleng@citizen.co.za

Opposition is pursuing provincial and regional records through Act.

After a bitter battle with the ANC mother body in court over cadre deployment records, the Democratic Alliance (DA) now wants the records from different ANC-run municipali­ties and provinces.

According to DA shadow minister for public service and administra­tion Dr Leon Schreiber, the party will use the Promotion of Access to Informatio­n Act (Paia) to access the informatio­n of regional and provincial cadre deployment records.

“Using the precedent created in the DA’s Constituti­onal Court victory, which ordered the ANC to hand over complete records of its national cadre deployment committee, we will now pursue the same records from provincial and regional committees following evidence from the state capture commission, and a series of documents leaked to the DA which confirm the existence of these committees across provincial and municipal party structures,” Schreiber said.

The party has launched its 2024 election campaign with strong message on the matter. The message on the billboard is simple: “Crush Corruption. Outlaw Cadre Deployment. Vote DA.”

Schreiber said it was evident the ANC had active provincial and regional cadre deployment committees which subvert legal appointmen­t processes in ANC-controlled provincial and municipal government­s.

“The DA will submit fresh Paia applicatio­ns to the ANC to obtain meeting minutes, a list of decisions,

WhatsApp conversati­ons, e-mail threads, CVs and all other documents relevant to the work of all regional and provincial cadre deployment committees dating back to 1 January 2013, when [President Cyril] Ramaphosa became the national chair of this political racketeeri­ng syndicate.”

Schreiber said the implicatio­ns of these revelation­s could not be more serious. “In addition to the national ANC cadre deployment committee that captured, corrupted and collapsed national government department­s, stateowned enterprise­s, and other national institutio­ns, the exact same racketeeri­ng syndicate is also implemente­d by the ANC at provincial and municipal level to capture and control administra­tive appointmen­ts,” he said.

In terms of Paia, the ANC has 30 days to comply with the DA’s applicatio­n, which is based on the exact same rationale that led to the DA’s Constituti­onal Court victory. “If the ANC fails to comply, the DA will see them back in court in 30 days,” said Schreiber.

“Just like we did in exposing the records of the national cadre deployment committee, the DA will defeat any attempt by the ANC to hide these provincial and regional records, because it is in the public interest to see how the ANC unlawfully interferes in public sector appointmen­ts which hollow out the state, facilitate corruption and cripple the delivery of services to citizens,” he said. –

 ?? Picture: Neil McCartney ?? FIGHTING ON. DA leader John Steenhuise­n speaks as the DA unveils a billboard on the N12 in Bedfordvie­w yesterday as part of their escalation of the battle against the ANC’s cadre deployment policy.
Picture: Neil McCartney FIGHTING ON. DA leader John Steenhuise­n speaks as the DA unveils a billboard on the N12 in Bedfordvie­w yesterday as part of their escalation of the battle against the ANC’s cadre deployment policy.

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