DA leader John Steenhuisen speaks as the DA unveils a billboard on the N12 in Bedfordview on 27 February 2024 as part of their escalation of the battle against the ANCs cadre deployment throughout the country. Picture: Neil McCartney / The Citizen
After a bitter battle with the ANC mother body in court over cadre deployment records the DA now wants cadre deployment records from different ANC-run municipalities and provinces.
According to DA shadow Minister for Public Service and Administration Dr Leon Schreiber, the DA 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.
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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 that 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, email 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 Ramaphosa became the national chairman of this political racketeering syndicate,” Schreiber said.
He 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, state-owned 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.
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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. 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.
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