The Democratic Alliance (DA) has condemned the African National Congress’ (ANC’s) “latest attempt to defy a court order” compelling it to make public its cadre deployment records, as a consequence, the DA will approach the courts for an order of contempt of court and the imprisonment of ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula.

On September 4, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) rejected an appeal made by the ANC and Mbalula against the handing over its cadre deployment records. The ruling reinstated the deadline established by the High Court, which gave the ruling party five working days to hand over its cadre deployment records dating back to January 1, 2023.

“Since the ANC’s doomed appeal at the SCA was filed under Mbalula’s name, he has made himself guilty of the same contempt of court offence that led to the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma,” said DA MP Leon Schreiber.

The DA said that on September 7 it was informed by lawyers representing the ANC that it would be appealing the SCA decision at the Constitutional Court. 

The DA furnished ANC lawyers with a letter, giving them until 12:00 on September 20 to file papers to proceed with an appeal.

On Thursday, the DA informed ANC lawyers that the 15-day court deadline of September 26 to file an appeal had lapsed.

Further, the DA has condemned the ruling party for its failure to meet the 15-day court deadline to file an appeal and labelled it as a “reckless disregard of a court order”.

“It is clear that the ANC has realised that any appeal to the Constitutional Court is doomed to fail. But the DA will not allow the ANC to get away with this latest attempt at using Stalingrad tactics to undermine the cause of justice. The people of South Africa have an inalienable right of access to the information contained in the ANC’s cadre deployment records, because these documents demonstrate how the party illegally interfered in public appointment processes to deploy the cadres who captured and corrupted the State under the chairmanship of Ramaphosa,” said Schreiber.