DA follows ANC example on cadre deployment

DA leader Geordin Hill-Lewis promised to end cadre deployment. However, history proved that it followed the ANC’s example of rewarding party loyalty over skills.

On Saturday, 8 August 2026, the DA launched its manifesto ahead of the 2026 Local Government Elections.

It selected Johannesburg as the location for this launch, which it said symbolised governance failure that had left the city devastated and broken.

“Holding our National Manifesto Launch in the City of Johannesburg is a declaration of our intention to govern Johannesburg after the election,” it said.

The event included speeches from DA Tshwane Leader Cilliers Brink, DA Johannesburg Mayoral Candidate Helen Zille, and DA Federal Leader Geordin Hill-Lewis.

Like all political speeches ahead of an election, they were full of promises, including rooting out corruption, improving services, and making people’s lives better.

There was a particularly strong focus on eliminating political deployment in municipal administrations and in positions of power.

The party promised to replace politically appointed managers with qualified technical professionals to manage local infrastructure and service delivery.

“Under the DA, municipal jobs will go to people who can actually do the work. They will not go to the politically connected,” Hill-Lewis said.

“How many of you out there know that where the ANC governs, jobs are only for the politically connected? That does not happen under the DA.”

“We will end cadre deployment. Engineers must manage infrastructure, and honest professionals must run administrations.”

He added that when people steal or waste taxpayers’ money or fail through negligence, there must be consequences.

Political speeches versus reality

Politicians love to be judged by what they say instead of what they do. After all, it is easy to make promises and tell people what they want to hear.

However, in the case of the Democratic Alliance, it is possible to judge it on what it does, as it is now part of the Government of National Unity (GNU).

Before it joined the government, the party campaigned to reduce the cabinet to 15 ministries. Now that it is in power, it is mum on the issue.

Newsday has asked the DA many times about this promise, but the party refuses to engage on the subject. This showed how quickly an election promise changed.

The best example of cadre deployment comes from the ministers the DA selected after it became part of the government of national unity.

It could have selected anyone as ministers. However, instead of selecting experienced technocrats, it opted for party loyalists, most of whom were career politicians.

It could have selected renowned economist Dawie Roodt or former FNB CEO Michael Jordaan as Deputy Finance Minister.

Instead, it selected career politician Ashor Sarupen, with very little experience in the private finance sector.

It could have selected Professor Jonathan Jansen, an education specialist with four decades of experience, as Basic Education Minister.

Instead, it selected another career politician, Siviwe Gwarube, with virtually no real-world education experience to serve as Minister.

The same goes for communication, where top industry candidates include former Vodacom CEO Pieter Uys and former MTN SA CEO Godfrey Motsa.

Instead, the DA opted for yet another career politician, Solly Malatsi, who has little experience in the communications sector.

The best example is Agriculture, where many experts are well-suited to the job, such as Theo de Jager and Willem de Chavonnes Vrugt.

Instead, former DA leader John Steenhuisen was appointed to the post. What followed was the state’s disastrous handling of the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

If the DA were honest, it would admit that it did not even consider outsiders with skills and experience in the field. Instead, ministerial positions are rewards for party loyalty and seniority.

This is how the ANC operates, and why the South African government is in such a poor state. The DA proved itself to be no different.

This is an opinion piece. The views and opinions expressed in this do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or editorial stance of Newsday.