DA party leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen appointed controversial podcaster Roman Cabanac as the chief of staff in his department.
The DA said it does not tell its ministers whom they should appoint in government positions.
The party said apart from not having a deployment committee, it upholds the doctrine of the separation of state and party.
This comes after party leader and Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen appointed controversial podcaster Roman Cabanac as the chief of staff in his department.
Steenhuisen has defended the appointment of Cabanac despite the outrage, with some describing the appointment as nothing more than cadre deployment.
Speaking to the media in Parliament, DA national spokesperson Karabo Khakhau said: “We do not have a cadre deployment committee that the Fedex (federal executive) approves on who gets to occupy which position in government.”
She said that Steenhuisen’s decision to appoint Cabanac was his decision that was within his prerogative.
“We do not prescribe to ministers who need to be in their offices. Any or all questions about why Minister Steenhuisen saw it fit to have the chief of staff to be the person he appointed should go directly to him, because there is separation of power.
“He will answer for himself as the DA. We uphold our value of separation of state and party,” she said.
Another spokesperson, Willie Aucamp, said the Wednesday by-elections were a big win for the DA to have won several wards, but also increased its support significantly.
The DA won two wards in the City of Joburg, two in the City of Tshwane, one in Madibeng Municipality, two in the City of Cape Town and another in the Cederberg.
“What happened in the by-elections is a vote of confidence in the DA and what we are currently doing in the Government of National Unity. People of South Africa can see we are definitely contributing in a positive way to the growth and the benefit of every South African,” Aucamp said.
Cape Times
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