‘DA wants to make public sector white’, says EFF MP on cadre deployment legal battle

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has taken a swipe at the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) bid to have cadre deployment declared unconstitutional.

MPs held a discussion on the professionalisation of the public sector in a National Assembly mini-plenary on Friday.

Cadre deployment litigation

The debate was initiated by DA MP Leon Schreiber, who previously tabled the Public Administration Laws General Amendment Bill.

The bill was rejected after a vote in the National Assembly in September 2023.

According to the Schreiber, the bill was sought address the political influence within the public service and end cadre deployment.

ALSO READ: ‘Errors in law’ – DA to appeal cadre deployment ruling as ANC slams party’s ‘hypocrisy’

The DA has been embroiled in a legal battle with the African National Congress (ANC) in an attempt to expose the ruling party’s deployment committee meetings.

The ANC’s meeting minutes was recently made public after being ordered to hand over the records to the DA by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt).

At the same time, the DA has failed in its bid to have cadre deployment declared unlawful.

The party intends to appeal the High Court in Pretoria’s ruling.

DA practices cadre deployment

During Friday’s parliamentary session, Schreiber told the National Assembly that the DA has approach the ConCourt once again to force ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula to release outstanding records – including meeting minutes, emails and WhatsApp conversations – dating back to 2013.

Schreiber said his party believed Mbalula and the ANC were in contempt of court.

“The DA yesterday [also] submitted a new request in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act to similarly expose complete records of the ANC’s dozens of provincial and regional cadre deployment committees that have collapsed service delivery in all ANC-run provinces and municipalities,” he revealed.

The DA MP said the governing party had 30 days to hand over the documents.

“All I can say is tick-tock,” Schreiber added.

WATCH: ‘Cadre deployment is done in Western Cape and Tshwane’ – ANC

Although ANC MP Teliswa Mgweba said her party has preached the importance of professionalising the public sector, she defended her party’s deployment strategy.

“Cadre deployment is a universally accepted practice. In the context of the ANC, we deploy cadres who will have the requisite skills, qualifications and competencies to pursue our agenda of transforming society,” she said.

Mgweba also highlighted the DA practiced “its own version” of cadre deployment, saying there was “evidence” in the Western Cape and the City of Tshwane.

“The narrative that the deployment of cadres in unconstitutional and unlawful has no basis in law hence the high court correctly found that the DA failed to point out any text either in the Constitution or any statutes that support their claims.”

Watch the plenary below:

‘White’ public service

Meanwhile, EFF MP Rosina Komane said the DA’s fight against cadre deployment was “in essence the fight against black professionals in the public sector”.

“The professionalisation of the public service does not mean making the public service white as the DA refers to,” she said.

“We want the public service run free of corruption and to predominately represent the demographics of the country,” the EFF MP continued.

NOW READ: Cadre deployment: Mbalula slams ‘propaganda machine’ DA, accuses it of dishonesty