No minutes for the ANC deployment committee for five years Ramaphosa was chair

There are no records of the controversial ANC deployment committee's meetings between 2012 and 2017.

This was revealed at the state capture inquiry hearing in Braamfontein on Wednesday.

The period relates to when President Cyril Ramaphosa was the chairperson of the committee.

Ramaphosa, who is appearing at the inquiry to complete his testimony, defended the non-existent minutes, saying it was mainly due to poor record-keeping.

“On the question of minutes, I do not recall ever having to go through the minutes of the previous meeting,” said Ramaphosa.

“You can ascribe that to unfortunate record-keeping processes. In the main, the ANC has so many meetings one after the other.

“It has come to light now that for the latter deployment committee, which is chaired by the deputy president [David Mabuza], there are proper processes and minutes.

“The lapses of not having those minutes should be understood on the basis of an organisation that is always on the go.”

Under Ramaphosa's successor in that position, ANC deputy president Mabuza, the deployment committee kept minutes for all its meetings since 2018.

Ramaphosa was quizzed whether there had been any change in policy.

“There would not have been a change in policy but maybe a change in practice. Deputy president Mabuza tended to send ministers back to process things again, and yet in my time, the committee always found a way. But his (Mabuza's) way is much more effective.”

The president continued to defend the ANC deployment committee from suggestions that it is usurping powers of state and interfering with its independence by unduly advantaging ANC cadres for strategic positions.

Ramaphosa believes this is far from the truth, since the ANC deployment committee does not have a final say on any appointment, but merely makes recommendations.

“We must accept that we live in a world where lobbying takes place for appointment of people anywhere,” he said.

“The real safety is that the deployment committee is not the appointment committee.

“Political parties will always seek to influence.

“In the end, the deployment committee is not the appointing structure. Whatever the influence may be, it is always tempered by the inability of the ANC deployment committee to appoint.” 

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