Former ANC Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini is preparing to challenge ANC electoral committee chairperson Kgalema Motlanthe after he barred her from contesting for positions in the national executive committee (NEC).
In a letter dated December 8, Dlamini’s legal team, headed by Tim Sukazi, confirmed that the embattled former women’s league president has decided to take legal action and would be challenging the matter in court.
The letter reads: “We confirm that we act on behalf of Ms Bathabile Dlamini [our client] at whose instance and instructions we are furnishing this correspondence to you.
“We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 07 December 2022 addressed to our client. We advise that our client refutes the contents of your letter. To this end, our client intends to institute legal proceedings against yourselves in pursuance of its rights in law.
“You will be advised accordingly in due course.”
Dlamini was nominated by several ANC branches to contest for a position in the NEC when the ruling party holds its elective conference at the Nasrec Expo Centre near Soweto from December 16-20.
In a letter that Sunday World saw on Thursday, Motlanthe said Dlamini had failed the vetting process after information about her criminal record emerged and negatively affected her eligibility to stand for nomination for all the positions in the NEC.
Dlamini was found guilty and convicted of perjury after she lied under oath about her role in the 2018 SA Social Security Agency grant payment debacle. She was fined R200 000 and given a two-year suspended sentence.
“The vetting information at our disposal reveals that you have historical record of being found guilty of serious crime in a court of law for which the prison sentence had been more than six months,” reads Motlanthe’s letter.
“To be specific, you are summarily disqualified as a candidate for all NEC positions including additional members during the 55th national conference as per the following rules which have been approved by the NEC.”
The rules of the ANC, states Motlanthe’s letter, stipulate that party members who have been found guilty of crimes that can result in a prison term of more than six months are prohibited from contesting for leadership positions.
“We therefore regret to inform you that you have been disqualified from being a candidate for any of the NEC positions during the 55th national conference due to take place at Nasrec on 16-20 December 2022.”
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