Ramaphosa defends ANC's cadre deployment policy

Ramaphosa appeared at the State Capture Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday in his capacity as the president of the African National Congress. 

He expected to appear again on Thursday and at the end of May in his capacity as head of state. 

He spent his first day at the commission answering questions related to the party's cadre deployment policy.

In 2018, former Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan slammed the policy, stating that members of the ANC are deployed in key government positions including state-owned entities based on loyalty to the party and without the required skills and competence. 

Ramaphosa chaired the committee during the tenure of former president Jacob Zuma.

He said the committee only recommends that certain individuals be appointed to certain key positions with limitations. 

"The deployment committee has set itself its own limit in terms of how it functions or recommends people. For instance, the committee does not get involved in the appointment of ministers to cabinet, that is left to the president. But the president does consult his immediate colleagues which are the officials of the ANC, but in the end, it's the decision of the president alone," 

"When it comes to civil service, the committee only gets involved in the appointment of the top leadership because it is not possible for the committee to involve itself in the appointment of secretaries or directors. But it does get involved in the appointment of director generals and to some extent deputy director generals," said Ramaphosa. 

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He said the committee does not at all fiddle with the appoint of members of the judiciary or leaders of key law enforcement agencies such as the National Director of Public Prosecutions, the police commissioner,  the head of the Hawks or the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). 

Ramaphosa admitted that the policy has perpetuated careerism and factionalism in the ruling party. 

"We have had to deal with issues like that and as the ANC broadly, careerism, opportunism and some of these deployments have caused internal conflict within the ANC. This is because we are a living organisation composed of people with interests, aspirations and ambitions and in the end, you must manage that very delicately and carefully.

"Factionalism arises because members of the organisation would have different perspectives and interests. Some of the perspectives may be ideological, organisation and some may even be economic, where people have economic interest and they cluster together and become a faction who have different ideas on appointments," added Ramaphosa. 

He also said the policy evolves overtime, but it is important in ensuring there is transformation in government.