DA to argue ANC cadre deployment policy obstructs transparency, accountability

JOHANNESBURG – The Democratic Alliance (DA) is on Wednesday is expected to argue that the African National Congress (ANC)’s cadre deployment policy obstructs transparent and accountable decision-making.

The party will present arguments to the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria in an application for leave to appeal.

Last year, the court dismissed the DA’s application to have the policy of its partner in the Government of National Unity (GNU) declared unconstitutional and invalid.

In its papers, the DA claims that the rule of law is undermined because deployment decisions are made in secret with a public office bearer influenced on various decisions, and threatened with a sanction if they do not oblige.

The party argues that the lack of transparency provides fertile ground for corruption and a lack of accountability as previously found by the Constitutional Court in a separate matter.

It further emphasises that the policy reverses the accountability structure – leaving the office bearer to account to their political party as opposed to the executive accounting to Parliament as provided for in the Constitution.

The party adds that when an appointed official is instructed by another on how to exercise their power, the exercise of their power becomes unlawful.