South Africans wonder what happened to the ‘missing’ cadre deployment documents

• The African National Congress said that it will comply with the order to hand over cadre deployment records
• The ruling party emphasised that the records they don’t have are dated between 2012 and 2017
• South Africans were unmoved and were quizzical about the documents that allegedly went missing

With over seven years at Daily Sun and Vutivi Business News, Tebogo Mokwena, a Briefly News current affairs journalist, offered insights into South African politics, political parties and election dynamics. Do you have a hard news story you would like to share? Email [email protected] with CA in the subject line.

SA had more questions about cadre deployment after the ANC looked set to concede to the law. Images: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images via Getty Images and Rob Lewine Source: Getty Images

The African National Congress announced that it will hand over the cadre deployment documents by the end of 19 February. This was after the Constitutional Court ruled that it must hand over the documents to the Democratic Alliance.

ANC will comply with ConCourt: spokesperson

According to TimesLIVE, ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsisi said that the party would comply with the order and rubbished what they called “fevered speculation” by the opposition party. She added that some of the records, dating from 2018 to 2021, assured the nation that the ANC has no secrets to hide in this regard.

She also revealed that the ANC could not find the records of cadre deployment dating from 2012 to 2017. She also remarked that there is nothing unique about cadre deployment and claimed that other countries also implemented cadre deployment, though she did not mention which.

What you need to know about the cadre deployment case

• The Democratic Alliance submitted a bill in parliament to end the cadre deployment policy in 2021
• Two years later, the High Court in Gauteng granted them a ruling which stated that the ANC should submit the documents
• The ANC unsuccessfully tried to appeal the High Court ruling in an attempt to prevent the DA from accessing the documents

Netizens weigh in

South Africans on Facebook weighed in on the ANC’s claims that they will comply.

Peter Bachtis said:

“Every position is a cadre, from friends, and family members to cousins and aunties. This is how they win elections.”

Edwin Grobbelaar added:

“All those records don’t exist anyway.”

Uplifted Amukelani Isaac observed:

“They are becoming very weak under Ramaphosa. They don’t even have the energy to appeal.”

Mark Watchguy observed:

“Minutes for the period of December 2012 to December 2017 and no minutes of the meetings from that period could be found. That’s just very convenient.”

Joe Bliksem said:

“White cadre deployment vs black cadre deployment.”

Gwede Mantashe defends cadre deployment

In a related article, Briefly News reported that the Minister of Mineral Resources, Gwede Mantashe, defended cadre deployment.

Mantashe pointed out that cadre deployment benefitted the country by transforming the judicial and government structures.

South Africans were not in agreement and jeered at him, pointing out what they thought were the consequences of cadre deployment.