In his blog Pierre de Vos accuses me of "hypocrisy" for raising the alarm at the ANC's politicisation of the Human Rights Commission through cadre deployment (see here).

This is what one might call "leading with your chin." It is pertinent to ask: who is the real hypocrite here? Let me remind readers of a blog published by Pierre de Vos in August last year entitled 'RIP Human Rights Commission?'

In it, de Vos said, and I quote:

"...there are worrying signs that the ANC majority in Parliament will deal a fatal blow to the Human Rights Commission by "deploying" mediocre ANC party-hacks with little human rights experience to that important body..."

Later on in the blog he writes:

"...the fact that a large number of failed ANC politicians appear on that party's list for appointment to the Commission, suggests that the Commission is in danger of becoming no more than a dumping ground for party hacks. This has the potential to fatally undermine the independence and impartiality of the Commission."

I couldn't have put it better myself.

The difference is that over a year has passed since de Vos penned those words. The "failed ANC politicians" on the nomination list are now Human Rights Commissioners and former ANC MP Lawrence Mushwana is the Chairperson.

This is the same Lawrence Mushwana who de Vos once described as "a useless and sycophantic Public Protector". In fact, de Vos went even further than this. He wrote:

"Mushwana became notorious for failing to properly investigate complaints against powerful ANC politicians, so one can only despair that he will now be appointed to the Human Rights Commission."

Hear, hear, Pierre! Except please explain why you have now swung to the opposite extreme?

One of the new Commissioners is ANC stalwart Janet Love. She resigned from her position on the ANC's NEC because, as Gwede Mantashe announced recently, she (along with Bheki Cele) had been "deployed" to "strategic state departments and institutions." 

That is a damning admission. The ANC has repeatedly explained that cadres are "deployed" to do its bidding and promote its interests ahead of all else. The alarm bells are ringing louder than ever, and yet de Vos has changed his tune.

It is de Vos who thinks and acts like the Queen in an absolute monarchy - he thinks there is one rule for him and another for everybody else.

When de Vos says that the Human Rights Commission is a "dumping ground for party hacks", he does so as a responsible, constitutional "expert". When I do the same (with even stronger evidence at my disposal) my critique is "scurrilous and unfounded," bordering on defamatory!

How do you explain that?

Let me remind the Professor that we live in a constitutional democracy where all are equal before the law. I will continue to warn against the deployment of ANC cadres to Chapter Nine institutions. Unlike Pierre de Vos (who is, actually, a Professor of Constitutional Law) I will do so consistently and without fear or favour.

This comment by DA leader Helen Zille first appeared on Professor Pierre de Vos's Constitutionally Speaking weblog.

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter