Ald Cilliers Brink DA Tshwane Caucus Leader photo by Dimakatso Modipa
Former City of Tshwane Municipality Mayor Cilliers Brink has given a Biblical response to ANC Greater Tshwane Region’s claims that he is involved in cadre deployment shenanigans in the Democratic Alliance (DA).
“The ANC Greater Tshwane Region has noted with utter shock the hypocrisy of the Democratic Alliance (DA) demonstrated through one of its leaders, ousted Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane Councillor Cilliers Brink, who is embroiled in a DA Cadre Deployment scandal together with the current Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Dean McPherson and the Minister is reported to be ‘pushing the HR’ for the appointment of former Councillor in the City of Tshwane Council Sean Cox as Chief Director in the office of the DG in the Public Works department,” said the ANC.
The ANC further said Sean Cox resigned to make space in the City Council for Cilliers Brink when the DA deployed him (Brink) from Parliament to be Executive Mayor.
“This is typical ‘jobs-for-pals’ DA type of cadre deployment yet Cilliers Brink is on record together with many other DA leaders like him categorically claiming that the DA is above reproach for giving for giving equal opportunities to all, regardless of the colour of their skin or background,” said the ANC.
“He (Brink) like many leaders of the DA has been on public platforms criticising the ANC about its cadre deployment policy vehemently,” said the ANC.
“The DA deployed a body-builder in the private office of the Executive Mayor Solly Msimanga as an Executive Director post the 2016 local government elections without qualifications and the DA justified this,” said the ANC.
“In the same vein, former Councillor Maretha Aucamp was deployed as Chief of Staff in the office of the Executive Mayor without the requisite qualifications and the DA justified this matter as well,” said the ANC.
The ANC Greater Tshwane Region said it put a lot of pressure until the DA capitulated and its cadres resigned quietly from those senior positions.
“We want to admonish Cilliers Brink that the ANC is very vigilant and will never allow him to hoodwink the people of Tshwane about the DA’s purported moral rectitude and we will never cease to expose the hypocrisy and untruths of the DA without fail whenever they attempt to pull the wool over the eyes of the public for short term political gains,” warned the ANC.
In response to the accusations levelled at him by the ANC, Brink said the following:
“I’m the leader of the opposition in Tshwane, I have nothing to do with the Department of Public Works and appointments made in the national government.”
ANC Tshwane Regional Secretary George Matjila
He demanded to know as to what evidence ANC Regional Secretary George Matjila has produced regarding irregular appointments.
“Matjila himself has interests in waste collection contractors doing business with Tshwane, just like his ANC Regional Chairperson Bonzo Modise has interests in a security company doing business with Tshwane,” said Brink.
He said the ANC’s policy of appointing party agents to technical and non-political jobs is well documented at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry while the DA has no such policy.
Brink stressed that the ANC’s cadre deployment policy has destroyed the service delivery ability of the state and that communities are suffering across the country because jobs and contracts have gone to ANC comrades and cadres instead of to qualified people.
Resorting to Biblical quotations to bolster his response, Brink said the following:
“I would recommend Matthew Chapter 7:5 in the Bible to Matjila, which entails that one must first remove the beam from their own eye before looking for sawdust in the eye of another.”