POLITICS

Tim Harris' appointment as Wesgro CEO blatant cadre deployment - ANC WCape

Sharon Davids questions why former DA MP only lasted six months with City of Cape Town

ANC will keep an eye on Zille's darling

The ANC Western Cape questions the DA's blatant redeployment of its cadre Tim Harris to Wesgro (provincial government agency for trade and tourism advancement).

Harris, who in May left Parliament as the DA's finance spokesperson, was almost immediately appointed into the City of Cape Town as a super shadow mayor in another jobs-for-pal non-existent position with an exorbitant remuneration package and will take up his third position in less than a year - this time as highly paid Wesgro CEO.

ANC Western Cape economic development and tourism spokesperson Sharon Davids says: "It is well known that the subservient Harris is premier Helen Zille's blue-eyed favourite. It is clear that he was destined for greater things when Zille herself sat next to Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille to announce Harris' move to the city.

"But, what has gone wrong between De Lille and Harris? Within months he made his move even though it was announced that he would serve the city until the 2016 municipal elections! Is he another victim of the ruthless mayor De Lille who chopped a few of Zille's close confidants that had to be given a perch elsewhere, like Cape Town CFO Mike Richardson that was given two political discretionary positions since?

The ANC says Harris now joins the long list of DA deployed cadres, like apparatchiks Ryan Coetzee, Nick Clelland-Stokes and Zak Mbhele. The DA's deployments were even found by South Africa's Public Protector Trudy Madonsela to be improper in her findings on the corruptive communications contract in the department of the premier.

"The ANC will keep an eye on this latest deployment of Harris to see whether it is to collect a massive pay package or to properly serve the people of the province," Davids added.

Statement issued by Sharon Davids, ANC Western Cape economic development and tourism spokesperson, December 11 2014

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