Cape Town – Nokuzola Sisisi Tolashe has been elected as the president of the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) during its 13th national conference.
Tolashe secured 1 729 votes, defeating her opponents Thembeka Mchunu and former president Bathabile Dlamini, who received 1 038 and 170 votes, respectively.
Tolashe had been the frontrunner, having received over 1,000 nominations from ANCWL branches.
Her victory is seen as a win for those who opposed Bathabile Dlamini’s leadership back in 2015, when she replaced former league president Angie Motshekga.
The newly elected President of the African National Congress Women’s League, Comrade Sisisi Tolashe. #ANCWLNationalConference #ANCWL2023 #ANCWL #ANCWL13thNC #ANC13thNationalConference #ANCWL13 pic.twitter.com/4Tvor6WbXP
— ANCWL 13th National Conference (@ANCWLeague) July 23, 2023
However, Tolashe faced some challenges as some members aligned with President Cyril Ramaphosa and Motshekga shifted their support to Mchunu, EWN reported.
Efforts to form an alliance between Mchunu and Dlamini failed, with Dlamini’s supporters accusing Mchunu of being too arrogant to step down and support Dlamini, the report said.
Some had suggested a deal between the two, but it proved impossible due to constitutional requirements that any changes to the league’s structure must be tabled at least three months ahead of the conference.
The conference faced delays, and voting for additional members of the ANCWL’s national executive committee was still pending.
Lungi Gcabashe, who hails from KwaZulu-Natal was elected deputy president, while Nokuthula Nqaba got the secretary-general position, News24 reported.
The league’s former fundraiser, MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae, who also serves as an MEC in the Free State, was elected treasurer-general.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
