ANC Cadre Deployment Impeded Executive Appointments at Eskom and SAA, Revealed Records Indicate

An investigative report by Satori News Agency has unearthed ANC cadre deployment records that have reportedly hamstrung the appointment of key executive positions at South African state-owned enterprises (SOEs), particularly at Eskom and South African Airways (SAA). Documentation and meeting minutes made public through legal pressure indicate that the ANC’s deployment committee has been deeply entwined in the selection process, leading to substantial hold-ups and potential governance challenges.

The records, which include email exchanges, WhatsApp messages, and internal ANC communications, illuminate the involvement of the ANC's deployment committee in the consultation processes with ministers for the appointment of CEOs at Eskom and SAA. These appointments faced significant bottlenecks, especially during 2018, purportedly due to compliance issues.

During a meeting at Luthuli House in early 2018, it was acknowledged that Eskom required a CEO. Despite support for moving forward, the deployment of candidates for this position was not finalized. The subsequent period saw the Democratic Alliance (DA), South Africa's opposition party, engage in a series of legal actions, which culminated in a Constitutional Court application to coerce the governing ANC into disclosing these records.

The released documents shed light on the discussions and decisions that led to delays, with the DA asserting that the ANC's deployment committee was obstructing Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan's efforts to fill these pivotal roles. The tactic, as alleged by the DA, was a deliberate act to ensure positions were filled by preferred ANC cadres.

In the case of Eskom, the appointment of a CEO would eventually occur in December 2019 with Andre de Ruyter assuming the post. On the other hand, SAA witnessed the resignation of CEO Vuyani Jarana in mid-2019, ascribable to the slow pace of decision making and lack of clear funding strategies essential for the airline's turnaround.

Moreover, in November 2020, records revealed another rendezvous of the ANC cadre deployment committee to address board appointments at both Eskom and SAA. The protocol was to establish a regularized interim board guided by state rules⁠—a key step toward corporate stability, as per a Zoom call on November 30 disclosed by the minutes. Nonetheless, these procedures appear to have been bypassed or overlooked.

DA MP Leon Schreiber has overtly criticized the cadre deployment committee for contributing to the deteriorating state of the aforementioned SOEs. He contends that the 1177-page ANC deployment record is evidence of the party's unlawful meddling across the state apparatus. Despite the ANC's defense and the Pretoria High Court’s dismissal of the DA's plea (which labeled the policy as unconstitutional), the DA has resolved to persist with its legal challenge.

The ongoing political fray has the DA planning a media briefing to expound upon the revelations from the deployment records, while the ANC relishes the court's recent verdict and critiques the DA's stance as incongruous and unsound. Amidst these developments, all political factions have been invited to scrutinize the deployment records, advocating for transparency.