DA takes on ANC in court on 23 and 24 January to abolish cadre deployment corruption
18 January 2023
Note editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Dr Leon Schreiber MP.
In the buildup to our National Day of Action against ANC Load Shedding next Wednesday, the DA will face-off directly with the ANC in the North Gauteng High Court on Monday and Tuesday next week for our court challenge to declare cadre deployment corruption unconstitutional and unlawful.
This is, without any doubt, the single most important court case for rebuilding state capacity in South Africa’s democratic history. Through the evil practice of cadre deployment, the ANC illegally interferes in appointment processes to ensure that corrupt cadres are appointed on the basis of their loyalty to the ANC, rather than on the basis of merit and skill. As the Zondo Commission confirmed and as the DA revealed when we exposed minutes of the ANC’s cadre deployment committee last year, this practice forms the very foundation of state capture. Abolishing cadre deployment is therefore a fundamental prerequisite if we ever want to end load shedding and halt the collapse of state institutions.
The urgency of this case is tragically confirmed by the ongoing electricity crisis that is destroying our country. Every time the lights go off, it is a reminder of the devastating impact that ANC cadre deployment has on hollowing-out state institutions, including Eskom. Just last week, ANC chairman Gwede Mantashe shamelessly made it clear that the party is dead set on, once again, illegally interfering in the appointment process of new executive leadership at Eskom. In addition to Mantashe’s arrogant statement confirming why the ANC’s headquarters at Luthuli House is the appropriate target for the DA’s protest action against load shedding, we will also be using this statement as further evidence for why a DA victory in this case is essential.