Cadre deployment records expose ANC's internal protocols

JOHANNESBURG - As the African National Congress (ANC) continues to defend its cadre deployment policy, internal protocols are exposed as memos and WhatsApp messages between party leaders signal a lack of separation between party and State.

A 1,300-page dossier shows meddling in the appointment of key positions at embattled state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as the party's documents go public.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) publicly released the ANC’s cadre deployment documents on Wednesday, after the governing party was ordered by the Constitutional Court to hand them over.

READ: ANC not threatened by DA’s plans to approach SCA over cadre deployment ruling

In January 2018, then-president Jacob Zuma announced measures to strengthen governance at Eskom.

At the time, the power utility was faced with a deepening crisis characterised by poor finances and governance failures.

Though a board was appointed, chaired by Jabu Mabuza, Zuma gave Eskom three months to appoint a permanent CEO and CFO.

What followed were a series of meetings between May 2018 and March 2019 where the ANC deployment sub-committee discussed who they thought was fit to be appointed at the helm of one the country’s most important parastatals.

The names of the candidates recommended by the subcommittee were redacted in the documents submitted by the ANC to the DA.

But the cadre deployment committee didn’t stop at that, it made further recommendations to make sweeping reviews at all boards of SOEs.

This includes Transnet, Denel, and South African Airways – all of which are currently in the grips of financial and operational challenges.

The appointments at these critical companies were not only made based on merit but also mostly on an assessment of loyalty to the ANC.