DA slams cadre deployment
2010-03-29 18:04
Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance on Monday rejected President Jacob Zuma's defence of the ANC policy of cadre deployment as "simply obtuse".
Zuma stated in Parliament last week that the ANC only appointed "good, qualified, and skilled people" from the ANC who were worthy of serving in the respective positions.
"This is palpably false," DA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip said.
"There are a litany of examples... where expertise comes second to political loyalty. To argue otherwise is simply obtuse," he said.
ANC national executive committee (NEC) member, Joel Netshitenzhe, had argued that while the ANC's strategic leadership discouraged micro-managing, it did not prevent suitable ANC deployees from being assigned to positions.
"And yet, while the ANC government clings to a theory that delivers little in practice, South African citizens are the ones feeling the effect," Trollip said.
Paying for incompetence
Since 2001, at least R262.1m had been awarded to parastatal bosses, who had delivered little, but almost always left in dubious circumstances.
"Not only are taxpayers paying millions to get rid of poorly-selected cadres, but billions upon billions of rands have been paid out to parastatals that are failing to properly manage public money," Trollip said.
Almost R250bn had been given to parastatals in financial assistance over the past five years.
"It is insulting, in the face of such an overwhelming body of evidence for both the state (in the form of the President) and the ruling party to defend a policy that, in and of itself, is largely responsible for all the wrong values and attitudes that have infected our public institutions.
"Cadre deployment is a disease, a sickness. If it is to be countered, it needs to be properly diagnosed and the appropriate counter measures set in place.
"Prime among these is the elevation of merit and skill above political affiliation, and the promotion of excellence above patronage.
"That the president and the ruling party are in denial of this fact says much about their ability to properly administer the government.
"Their denialism is to the direct disadvantage of all South Africans," Trollip said.
- SAPA
