Justice and constitutional development minister Ronald Lamola has denied ANC cadre deployment was the cause of Eskom’s woes.

Speaking during the state of the nation address debate this week, Lamola defended cadre deployment and said it was not to blame for looting at Eskom and corruption at the South African Revenue Service (Sars).

“The two institutions were not broken down by cadre deployment. They were broken down by systematic corruption, and not only by being led by black people. It was corrupt individuals,” said Lamola.

“We will allow the processes of the law to take place with all people who have been arrested for corruption at Eskom. Those individuals will be held to account and a free and a fair trial will ensue.”

He said law enforcement was taking action against individuals who committed corruption during the Covid-19 pandemic and the years of state capture.

“It is public knowledge people have been arrested and monies recovered for the theft during Covid-19. Through the Special Investigating Unit, money has been recovered that was stolen during Covid-19 and government is continuing to work on building and strengthening the National Prosecuting Authority,” he said.

‘Cadre deployment was a policy position’

Lamola said the ANC will continue with cadre deployment to rebuild state-owned entities.

He said it yields results, claiming Sars had the “best tax system in the world” because of the policy.

“When Eskom was named as the global power company of the year in 2002, cadre deployment was the policy position.

“The notion that cadre deployment is the singular cause for the decline in state institutions is not borne out by historical facts. What is not debatable is that those who are deployed must be ethical and competent.”

Source: TimesLIVE