Former Democratic Alliance (DA) leader Mmusi Maimane has issued a challenge to the party’s federal council chairperson Helen Zille, urging her to provide evidence to support her claims that he was involved in appointments made in structures where the party governs.
The ongoing dispute between the DA and the African National Congress (ANC) over cadre deployment has led to a public exchange of accusations and counter-allegations.
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In a tweet from 2022, Zille alleged that she had put an end to a cadre deployment policy introduced by Maimane.
However, Maimane has strongly refuted these claims and is demanding proof from Zille to substantiate her allegations. The DA’s opposition to the ANC’s cadre deployment policy has brought to light internal divisions within the party, with former members coming forward to air grievances and make allegations of their own.
Maimane, who now leads the Build One South Africa movement, has dismissed Zille’s assertions that a cadre deployment policy existed during his leadership.
He asserts that it was he who abolished Zille’s “fit for purpose” strategy, which he equates to cadre deployment. According to Maimane, this strategy resulted in the appointment of party affiliates in positions of power within the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government.
In his challenge to Zille, Maimane is requesting the release of minutes from the party’s federal executive meetings, where the alleged cadre deployment policy was supposedly abolished.
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He also calls for the disclosure of any other minutes that supposedly contain evidence of him giving orders regarding appointments. Maimane further urges Zille to provide minutes showing the appointment of her favourite individuals, including former Members of Parliament Ryan Coetzee and Tim Harris, to government positions.
The back-and-forth between Maimane and Zille highlights the ongoing tension within the DA regarding cadre deployment and raises questions about the party’s internal governance and decision-making processes.
As the dispute continues, it remains to be seen how these allegations and counter-allegations will impact the DA’s reputation and future prospects.
 leader Mmusi Maimane challenges Helen Zille to provide evidence of his involvement in appointments made in structures where the party governs.){kind=link}