Build One South Africa (BOSA) on Friday challenged Democratic Alliance (DA) federal executive chairperson Helen Zille to release documents relating to the party’s cadre deployment policy.

This after Zille went public on X – formerly known as Twitter – to say the practice of cadre deployment was introduced in the DA under its former leader Mmusi Maimane, and that when she “ceremoniously” returned to the party the policy was done away with.

Maimane resigned from the DA in 2019, after the return of his predecessor Zille to the second-most senior post in the party, which was widely seen as a bid to salvage lost support.

BOSA acting spokesperson Roger Solomons, meanwhile, stated that there was no cadre deployment policy in the DA under Maimane.

“In fact, when he took office, Zille’s own cadre deployment policy – fit for purpose – was expunged. That policy led to what appears like a patronage network of DA persons and affiliates in the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape government,” said Solomons.

He called on Zille to release the minutes of the federal executive (FedEx) meeting in which, he said, the “non-existent” cadre deployment policy within the DA was allegedly done away with.

BOSA wants Zille to release all minutes of any FedEx meeting where Maimane was present, which directed or dictated which individuals should be appointed to any government departments or entity.

“In particular, instances where senior officials such as municipal managers or department executive directors and heads of department were approved for appointments,” said Solomons.

He also called on Zille to release the minutes of the meeting whereby Zille’s “nearest and dearest” were appointed to senior positions in DA governments, which he said included the likes of Ryan Coetzee, Penny Tainton, Tim Harris and “countless others”.

Zille responded to the challenge on X, on Friday.

“Let me remind you. 30 September 2016: your resolution to Fedex. Reviewed and rescinded after John [Steenhuisen] became leader and I became Chair of FedCo,” she responded to Maimane.

Meanwhile, African National Congress secretary general Fikile Mbalula called on the DA, following the DA's campaign to have the ANC's record in this respect made public, to release the minutes of the party’s deployment policy to the public.

DA leader John Steenhuisen has denied that his party has ever practiced such a policy.