Stop cadre deployment to save SA from ruin

Retired Judge Robert Nugent has just wound up an exhaustive probe into the mess which the South African Revenue Service (Sars) had become.

And it paints a bleak picture of the damage which can be done to a critical public institution by cadre deployment and cronyism.

Tom Moyane, the since fired commissioner of Sars, was described by Nugent as “defiantly spewing invective” and labelled “not fit to be commissioner”.

Mmamathe Makhekhe-Mokhuane, the chief officer of digital information at Sars – who famously blundered her way through an interview on SABC – was, according to Nugent “seemingly unable to provide direction”.

Nugent also lashed out at appointments made during the reign of Moyane, saying none had functional experience in tax collection or enforcement, or management experience fit for an organisation of 14 000 employees.

It goes without saying that the appointments of sub-standard employees to key jobs within the country’s revenue collection system could have – and did have – near-catastrophic consequences for the ability of government to raise money for development.

But, more than that, the ruin of Sars – which is only now being painstakingly put right – has allowed all manner of irregularities to occur, resulting in further losses to the fiscus.

But the primary damning conclusion to draw from the report is that the policy of “cadre deployment” – the ANC’s highly-developed “jobs for pals” scheme which rewards political loyalty and opens up further spaces at the government feeding trough – will be the ruination of South Africa. That is abundantly clear already in the mess in state-owned enterprises and multiple government departments and municipalities.

We need to start employing people on merit – training, qualifications and experience – for these essential positions.

If we do not, we will continue along the path towards a failed state.

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