By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress Women’s League elective conference is taking place after numerous postponements at the Nasrec Expo Centre, south of Johannesburg.
Credentials of the ANCWL 13th National Conference have been duly adopted.
The conference is expected to elect a new leadership for the league after disbanding the previous one in 2022.
The Secretary General of the ANC Cde Fikile Mbalula has called for a united a strong league to emerge.
Mbalula said this was the conference where the women of the organisation united in their fight against gender equality, even among the organisation itself.He urged the delegates to make their voices heard in all struggles of the country, and to come to the defence of women who face attack in tertiary institutions, boardrooms and other sectors of society.
Mbalula said embattled university vice-chancellors Puleng Lenkabula of Unisa and Mamokgethi Phakeng, who headed the University of Cape Town should be supported.
“ANCWL must stand up and defend LenkaBula. At UCT, Phakeng was attacked by racists, where were you as ANCWL?
“You must be the first to say no when women at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange are treated unfairly.”
“Be there and fight for women, determine your own destination. Don’t always fight for men to lead in ANC. You are fighting, even today in this conference because of men.
“You must decide for yourselves. When you listen to men, what do they have for you? You don’t get along because you consult men, “he said to a loud round of applause.
The ANCWL remained the only women’s organisation in the country, he added.
Turning to government, the former transport minister decried the state of the KwaZulu-Natal roads mainly damaged by trucks, transporting coal and other goods to the harbours in the province.
In his usual no-holds-barred style, Mbalula said Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan needs to “move faster or be removed” over the struggling SOE, Transnet.
“Pravin, move faster on Transnet or otherwise we will [re]move you. Trucks must get off the road and use the rail.”
“We can’t be singing about it all the time as if we are not in government, we are in charge.”
He further praised what he called “visible and hardworking leaders” such as Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi, Sars commissioner Edward Kieswetter and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
The ANCWL elective conference is taking place in Nasrec, south of Johannesburg this weekend. About 3,100 delegates from branches across the country were expected to attend the women’s league conference.
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Video Courtesy of MYANC.