ANC Claims Missing Cadre Records Due to Crashed Laptop and Email Deletions

In a revelation that has raised both eyebrows and questions about transparency within South Africa's ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC) has recently attributed the absence of crucial cadre deployment committee records from 2012 to 2018 to a malfunctioning laptop and subsequent email deletions. This explanation comes in response to a Constitutional Court order, demanding the ANC submit said documents for public scrutiny.

Secretary-General of the ANC, Fikile Mbalula, reported to the media that computer issues and email management practices have led to irretrievable losses of pertinent records. According to Mbalula, Thapelo Masilela, an official in the deputy secretary’s office, suffered a laptop crash, which unfortunately coincided with his attempts to purge his email archives throughout the year 2023—resulting in the deletion of many files potentially related to the cadre deployment committee's activities.

The controversy intensifies as Mbalula contends that from 2012 through 2018, the ANC kept no minutes of the cadre deployment committee meetings—a direct contradiction to the contents of 2019 minutes, where affirmations of previous records' approval are found. This discrepancy points to the existence of some form of documentation about the party's cadre deployments during the specified period, which has now seemingly disappeared.

This matter holds significant public and historical interest, as the Democratic Alliance (DA) is actively seeking insight into ANC appointments made during former President Jacob Zuma's tenure—a time linked to widespread allegations of state capture. Amidst concerns that cadre deployment facilitated undue influence over public appointment processes, the DA's request for transparency is not just a party concern, but a national one.

The Constitutional Court has ordered the ANC to come forward with these documents within five business days, a ruling lauded by DA MP Leon Schreiber as a critical step toward ensuring transparency and historical accountability in the battle against state capture.

Despite efforts by some within the ANC to present records from the deployment committee dating 2018 to 2021 during the Commission on State Capture, the party claims the minutes from December 2012 to December 2017 are unattainable. In statements proclaiming diligence in searching for the missing records, the ANC vows to submit all available documents and to fully explain the circumstances regarding those which cannot be found.

The case of the missing records serves as a stark reminder of the imperative for party and government transparency within democratic systems, especially in times when the public's trust in elected officials has been compromised.