Deputy Minister of COGTA stands by ANC practice of using municipalities as guinea pigs for its implementation of failed Affirmative Action policy

9 December 2021

It is an absolute shame that despite the obvious signs of decay and decline of local governments across the country, the ANC government is adamant that it will keep using municipalities as guinea pigs for implementing its failed policy of Affirmative Action (AA) and cadre deployment.

This is evident from the answer provided by the deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Thembi Nkadimeng, in response to a question by the FF Plus during a question-and-answer session in Parliament yesterday. The FF Plus wanted to know whether the ANC government was going to abolish its failed policy of AA and cadre deployment at municipalities to keep local governments from deteriorating even further.

Nkadimeng, however, emphasised that the government remains committed to AA, and in particular the appointment of youths and women in managerial positions at municipalities, despite the decline.

According to Nkadimeng, it will bring about "empowerment" and relevant experience is only one of the factors taken into consideration when appointments in key positions are made.

It is ironic that Nkadimeng is the one who is making such statements seeing as she previously served as the Mayor of the Polokwane Local Municipality, which is infamous for poor service delivery, fraud and corruption.

She has obviously experienced the negative consequences of the ANC's failed policy and experiments firsthand. Her statements are an embarrassment for the country and a slap in the face of loyal taxpayers.

The FF Plus, furthermore, pointed out to her that these ANC practices are deterring professional experts, who are vital for turning the municipal decline around, from applying for key positions out of fear that being appointed in such positions may actually damage their professional reputation and status.

With its AA policy and the consequent corruption, the ANC has created such a toxic environment of decline on local government level that the damage appears to be irreversible.

Appointing professional and expert individuals in critical positions, regardless of their skin colour, is the only way to remedy the situation.

The FF Plus will continue to oppose the ANC's AA policy and will also keep shining the spotlight on the looting of taxpayers' money to bring an end to it.

Issued by Michael Groenewald, FF Plus MP and chief spokesperson: Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), 9 December 2021