ANC member of parliament Cameron Dugmore said the DA was also using cadre deployment where it governs. Picture: Ayanda Ndamane /Independent Newspapers
African National Congress (ANC) parliamentarian Cameron Dugmore has accused the Democratic Alliance (DA) of using cadre deployment in municipalities it governs, saying this policy was not only implemented by the governing party, but the official opposition too.
Dugmore said in 2022 they provided evidence where a DA MEC in the Western Cape allegedly instructed municipalities who to appoint in key positions.
He said the ANC accepts the judgment of the Constitutional Court, but the ANC would continue to implement its cadre deployment policy.
This was after Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe said earlier that they will hand over cadre deployment records to the DA as they have been ordered by the Constitutional Court.
Mantashe said when they took over power in 1994 there was not a single black person who was a director general in any government department.
They had to implement cadre deployment to drive the transformation agenda.
This was reiterated by Dugmore, who was taking part in the debate on the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Tuesday,.
Dugmore said the DA cannot claim to be innocent when it comes to cadre deployment.
He said the DA was also using this policy to appoint its own people in the Western Cape.
“The DA was celebrating the outcome of cadre deployment. Those celebrating this outcome are the biggest hypocrites you will ever find,” said Dugmore.
He said the ANC believes cadre deployment was the only policy to drive transformation in the public sector. .
“A cadre is someone with the skills to drive the transformation project. I want to clarify, a cadre is a public servant who advances the transformation project and the National Democratic Revolution from within the state. It’s about bringing diversity.
“Comrade Mantashe said when the ANC took over there was not a single black DG. All over the world deployment of those who support the ruling party’s policies and meet the qualifications takes place. We, as the ANC, support the resolution of our national executive committee to review it, but never abandon cadre deployment,” said Dugmore.
The ANC was given five days to hand over all records of the deployment committee.
President Cyril Ramaphosa started chairing the deployment committee in 2013 after the Mangaung elective conference in December 2012.
He had been elected deputy president of the ANC.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
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