By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) conference has finally kicked off after it was meant to kick off at 2pm at Nasrec, as thousands of delegates were still lining up to register and participate in the event.
In quintessential ANC fashion, the ANC Women’s League was yet to make its presence felt at the Nasrec Expo Centre.
Instead, journalists had a briefing that failed to announce the names of those who have made it onto the ballot via branch nominations or provide an accurate start time.
Different lobby groups linked to President Cyril Ramaphosa have spent the week trying to get his endorsement as they’ve failed to find one another ahead of the internal contest.
Over 3 000 delegates will nominate and vote for their preferred candidates to lead the league.
The infighting and factionalism in the ANC have negatively affected the work done by the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) over the past ten years, said the league’s task team convener Baleka Mbete.
Mbete delivered the political report on Friday night.
The task team was appointed in July last year following the disbandment of the ANCWL national executive committee (NEC) that was led by Bathabile Dlamini.
Mbete said the task team knew that their job to unite members and convene a conference within a year was not gonna be easy.
“The task team did its best. The post-Polokwane’s intensely fictionalised environment had a very negative effect on all structures of the ANC.”
“It is a fact that when history is captured, it will show exactly how much we reflected on this contamination as women of the movement.”
The disbanded ANCWL leadership had done some important work in the seven years following their election in 2015, she added.
“We were handed their report and must not pretend they did no work in that seven years.
“They launched the Young Women’s desk, the LGBTIQ+ desk, social campaigns which have since been combined – Women’s Manyano and Molo Makhelwane, gender-based violence and human trafficking forums.
“A third aspect of work to highlight is on the legislative front. The Women’s League has been successful in driving an impressive list of legislation for our women,” she said.
Dlamini, a former social development minister, is seeking re-election as ANCWL president. She also served as the secretary more than ten years ago.
Also vying for president are Deputy Minister of Women, Youth Nokuzola Tolashe and MP Thembeka Mchunu.
Watch Live in the video below:
Video Courtesy of MYANC.