EDITORIAL: Cure the cadre deployment cancer
One of the issues that is not talked about enough in our politics is cadre deployment, a light reference to what really is a jobs-for-comrades scheme.
This concept is not too different from ‘state capture’, where the political elite and their business buddies conspire to drain state coffers.
This creation of a shadow state, in which government is milked by those connected to the high-ups, is not an animal that only prances around in South Africa or other neighbouring states. It is increasingly a reality in Namibia.
Taking this debate further is the inevitable conclusion that so-called cadre or comrade deployment by ruling parties in the offices, ministries and agencies of government must be seen as the principle enabler to these activities.
In both South Africa and Namibia, we have seen - since liberation - senior and other positions being filled in ministries and state-owned enterprises simply on the basis of the political affiliation of individuals. Meritocracy is not even a secondary consideration.
It is wholly surprising that civil society has not challenged cadre deployment in our courts, as it goes against the very grain of putting the country first in a constitutional democracy.
Even party members should be objecting, because in modern-day politics, it is essentially victorious factions that place their members in key positions.
The impact of cadre deployment, where meritocracy has been replaced by pliable party apparatchiks who are either funnelling money to business networks or are incompetent, is a ‘luxury’ Namibia can no longer afford.
This concept is not too different from ‘state capture’, where the political elite and their business buddies conspire to drain state coffers.
This creation of a shadow state, in which government is milked by those connected to the high-ups, is not an animal that only prances around in South Africa or other neighbouring states. It is increasingly a reality in Namibia.
Taking this debate further is the inevitable conclusion that so-called cadre or comrade deployment by ruling parties in the offices, ministries and agencies of government must be seen as the principle enabler to these activities.
In both South Africa and Namibia, we have seen - since liberation - senior and other positions being filled in ministries and state-owned enterprises simply on the basis of the political affiliation of individuals. Meritocracy is not even a secondary consideration.
It is wholly surprising that civil society has not challenged cadre deployment in our courts, as it goes against the very grain of putting the country first in a constitutional democracy.
Even party members should be objecting, because in modern-day politics, it is essentially victorious factions that place their members in key positions.
The impact of cadre deployment, where meritocracy has been replaced by pliable party apparatchiks who are either funnelling money to business networks or are incompetent, is a ‘luxury’ Namibia can no longer afford.
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Namibian Sun
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