Since the start of this administration in 2019, Premier Winde espoused messages of hope, transparency and service delivery in the province.

He promised clean governance and to act without fear or favour against errant DA members.

His record and that of the DA shows a total commitment to one thing and one thing only - fighting to preserve the privileges of the elite.

The record shows racism in managing internal DA disciplinary matters.

It shows shameless DA cadre deployment which is not only unlawful but deeply racist.

Premier Winde knows about all of this and more. Yet he sweeps it under the carpet. He is part of nepotism, favouritism , aiding and abetting cadre deployment.

From the inside of the legislative chambers we are witness to the internal divisions of the DA, and the DA double talk on many issues, where they consistently only present public relations stunts, but fail to deliver services. 

Most recently, we have seen the full blown DA hypocrisy when it comes to the issue of cadre deployment. 

Since the release of the recent Zondo Commission report, the DA have been clamouring from every pole and platform available, contesting the constitutionality of cadre deployment by the ANC.

The DA has gone to great lengths to have ANC documents made available to them, including going to court to obtain minutes of meetings and discussions around this issue. 

What the DA fails to inform the public about and what many in the mainstream media ignore, is their own nepotism, cronyism and cadre deployment .

There is incontrovertible evidence that the DA themselves are practicing the very thing they condemn so virulently in public. 

The Public Protector has already found MEC Bredell to be in breach of the Code of Conduct for Members when he instructed the Municipality of George not to fill any vacancy without the consent of the DA Federal Executive. 

Despite this finding , Winde did not take action against Bredell. In essence Winde has been complicit to unlawful and racist conduct.

This instruction was given to the officials in George on the DA Letterhead, signed by MEC Bredell.  It was intended to block the appointment of a better qualified and more experienced black candidate. This a public service post that had been advertised.

Lest we forget , MEC Bredell is the same person that is responsible for Local Government in this Province, and thus acted against the legislative prescripts that govern his portfolio .

The Municipality of George seems to be a favorite for DA cadre deployment, and includes direct instruction by MEC Bredell to DA councillors. MEC Bredell, wearing his DA hat, and clearly in conflict with his official duties and role, saw fit to send a letter to George Municipality on 8 May 2018, with the clear instruction that all appointments must be approved by the DA Federal Executive.  

In providing this instruction to Bredell not only broke labour law but also employment equity legislation.

Once again, clear evidence of DA racism at play. 

Another proven case of DA cadre deployment in George happened in 2017, when the DA Fedex Chair, James Selfe, directly intervened to ensure that a public service post was reserved for a former DA Councillor, regardless of his capacity, qualifications or competence for the position, and that was publicly advertised. 

Helen Zille herself had to admit that DA cadre deployment is real, but then proceeded to throw Mmusi Maimane under the bus claiming it was his policy. 

Helen Zille is not being honest with us.

That Premier Winde has not acted against Bredell, is in itself not surprising, as Bredell serves on the DA Federal Council and is the Premier’s political senior. 

A case of the tail wagging the dog cannot be any clearer in this twisted relationship between Premier and MEC.

The DA hypocrites do not stop there, when they use the City of Cape Town to provide soft landings for DA officials from Johannesburg who became unemployed after the last election. 

These included positions of Director and Chief Directors, and are civil service positions that are advertised. 

On the 25th of May this year, a PAIA application was handed to the DA Provincial Chairperson, MEC TertiusSimmers to provide all minutes of meetings relating to DA cadre deployment in the Western Cape.  We have asked this for the period 2009 to date.

The thirty-day deadline to provide this information has elapsed, and MEC Simmers has not provided anything.  In fact, he has not even replied to the application.

So much for transparency, so much for honesty. 

Surely MEC Simmers understands what these words mean, but they ring hollow when it comes to the DA. 

While they howl from the rooftops to deflect attention from their own failures and divisions, they remain nothing but hypocrites, and that hypocrisy knows no bounds.

We have decided to bring an application to the high court to compel the DA to provide the minutes andletters about cadre deployment. 

We must be uncompromising about appointing capable , committed and qualified people to the public service . That’s what a developmental state needs. 

We have that developmental and professional capability amongst African, Coloured , Indian and white applicants , but have often not often appointed those most suited . 

Representivity and capability are possible . We cannot compromise on employment equity . 

We must have the political will to do this . 

The ANC NEC’s decision to review, not abandon cadre deployment is supported . This is part of the renewal agenda. 

Written by Cameron Dugmore ANC MPL. Dugmore is the ANC leader of the opposition in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature