Time’s up: DA threatens ANC top brass with jail over cadre deployment records

Democratic Alliance (DA) leader John Steenhuisen has warned the African National Congress (ANC) to comply with the Constitutional Court order to stand and deliver the cadre deployment records by Monday, 19 February…or face time behind bars.

Steenhuisen told supporters during the opposition party’s 2024 election manifesto launch on Saturday in Pretoria, that the ANC had asked for an extension of the deadline set by the apex court to hand over the records, including minutes of meetings from 2013, emails and WhatsApp messages.

Cadre deployment: DA wants ANC leaders charged with contempt of court

He continued to explain that the DA wants the ANC charged with contempt of court, which is the same charge that landed former president Jacob Zuma behind bars.

“As you all know, the Constitutional Court has given the ANC until Monday to hand over complete records of its cadre deployment committee dating back to 1 January 2013, when [President Cyril] Ramaphosa became its chairman,” Steenhuisen said.

ALSO READ: ANC loses cadre deployment case in the Constitutional Court

Extension of deadline?

“After delaying for more than three years following the DA’s initial request for these records to be made public to expose Ramaphosa’s role in state capture, the ANC yesterday came crawling back to the DA, begging us to give them more time.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to Ramaphosa and the ANC directly,” the DA leader said during his manifesto launch address at the Union Buildings.

‘You have wasted SA’s time for long enough’ – Steenhuisen

No, you cannot get more time. Not to hand over these records, and not in government. You have wasted South Africa’s time for long enough. You will comply with the Constitutional Court’s order by handing over these records by 5pm on Monday.

Steenhuisen warned that if the party fails to do so, “the DA will use the precedent set in the Zuma case to go back to court for a contempt order that includes prison time for each and every one of the ANC’s leaders”.

Mbalula denies request for extension, but…

Sunday Times however reported that ANC secretary-general (SG) Fikile Mbalula denied making such a request to the DA.

The publication further stated that insiders at Luthuli House claimed that the ANC would find it difficult to comply with the court order.

This because the party, according to the sources, has no records of its cadre deployment committee meetings and decisions because no minutes were taken between 2013 and 2018.

ALSO READ: DA wants Mbalula jailed for contempt of court over cadre deployment

DA vs ANC: What to know about the cadre deployment records order

• The DA filed legal papers against the ANC in 2023 to have the governing party’s cadre deployment policy declared unconstitutional and unlawful.
• This follows after the access application to cadre deployment records was brought by DA MP Leon Schreiber in 2021 in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
• On Monday, 12 February, the ANC lost its Constitutional Court bid to appeal an earlier ruling ordering it to hand over all its records and documents relating to cadre deployment.

In a statement following the ANC’s failed application to appeal, Schreiber said he was confident that the ruling would ensure “transparency by forcing the ANC to reveal exactly how Ramaphosa’s cadre deployment committee laid the foundation for state capture by interfering in public appointment processes”.