Cadre Deployment & Guptas – Mantashe at Zondo Commission

By: Lindelani Mbatha

ANC national Chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, says the ruling party does not have Cadre deployment however, it has a Deployment Policy.

Mantashe has been testifying before the Zondo Commission of Inquiry investigating state capture, on the party’s Parliamentary Oversight evidence.

Opposition parties in parliament have over the years accused the ANC of deploying its members to the strategic positions in government.

Responding to Advocate Alec Freund’s question, Mantashe says the party’s deployment policy doesn’t focus on cadres.

On the issue pertaining to the controversial Gupta family, Mantashe says they got involved with the this family after one of the brothers, Ajay was appointed in former President Thabo Mbeki’s economic advisory committee.

The Gupta family is accused of playing a key role in Former President Jacob Zuma’s Cabinet appointments, made under-handed deals to pursue business interests.

Mantashe says at the time the ANC had no knowledge of other business interests of the family.

He adds that the ruling party played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Gupta family’s 24 hour News channel ANN 7 and the daily newspaper, The New Age.

In 2017, former government spokesperson, Mzwanele Manyi, acquired the publication and TV news channel from the family.

However, in January 2018, MultiChoice announced that DStv would not renew ANN7’s contract when it expires in August, the same year.

The two projects were eventually shut down.

Mantashe says both ANN7 and the New Age gave much needed coverage to the ANC.