The secretary-general of the ANC Women’s League, Nokuthula Nqaba is tipped to become the so-called “holy trinity” of the ANC structure after the great fall of its president, Sisisi Tolashe who has been asked to step down following a string of controversies.
The Women’s League yesterday received the official briefing from parent body secretary-general Fikile Mbalula about Tolashe’s situation.
Mbalula has confirmed that the ANC ethics body – the Integrity Commission – recommended that Tolashe step down as both Women’s League President and a directly elected member of the ANC NEC.
Tolashe’s fate ‘in her own hands’
The Luthuli House “boss” said Tolashe’s fate was in her own hands after she was charged by the national disciplinary committee of the former liberation movement.
That process might not go the full length, said Mbalula, if Tolashe’s conscience speaks to her to voluntarily step down to save herself the trouble of being grilled and publicly crucified if the decision of the NDC does not favour her.
“We are going to present a case to the NDC as it relates to comrade Sisisi. An individual affected can make individual decisions , so probably accept to go through the DC process or maybe avoid the DC process and say, ‘I accept I do not want to go through the DC’ and that is it,” said Mbalula.
“The DC has started and must conclude within three months, and the decisions of the NDC are made public. So, the decision of the Integrity Commission is that she must step down, and that decision is endorsed.”
Ball in Women’s League’s court
The ANC NEC has kicked the ball to the Women’s League court to “decide” the fate of their president.
After failing to defend her after telling the ANC Top Seven that she was remorseful and asked for forgiveness, the Women’s League has now been forced by the mother body and the Integrity Commission to rejig their posture.
It is believed that this was central to Mbalula’s messages to the Women’s League NEC that convened at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg.
Spectre of leadership crisis
The impending fall of Tolashe is going to present a leadership crisis for the Women’s League, which already does not have a deputy president after Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe passed on last year.
According to the League’s constitution, in the absence of a president and a deputy president, the secretary-general of izimbokodo assumes those responsibilities.
In this regard, ANCWL secretary-general is tipped to steer the ship forward wearing all three hats, akin to what happened in the parent body before the 2022 Nasrec 2 national conference when Paul Mashatile performed the functions of treasuer-general, secretary-general and deputy secretary-general.
Mashatile, at the time, was the elected leader to man the finance office but had to step up when then SG Ace Magashule was forced to step aside while his deputy had Jessie Duarte passed away.
Nqaba poised to be the league’s ‘holy trinity’
The Women’s League now finds itself in the same predicament with Nqaba being the constitutionally approved national official to step up.
Mbalula confirmed that Nqaba would be “the holy trinity” of the Women’s League if Tolashe succumbs to the pressure by the ANC NEC and Integrity Commission for her to bite the dust.
But the Women’s League might face an even bigger crisis before the end of June if Tolashe steps down if their treasurer-general, Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae, is charged by the NPA.
Letsoha-Mathae is facing allegations of corruption in the Free State, where she is premier, and the NPA is due to decide her fate by mid-June.
These developments might lead to the Women’s League having only two national officials out of five, making the structure unable to meet quorum.
Such an eventuality would trigger the need for the League to convene an early conference, in which instance Nqaba is already billed as a favourite to emerge as president.
“She has no competition; personally, I would support Comrade Nokuthula as our president,” said a Women’s League NEC insider.
“The woman is firm and has held her own as SG and natural progression in the Women’s League history is that you graduate from SG to President, it hashappened many times before.”
- ANC Women’s League President Sisisi Tolashe has been asked to step down following recommendations from the ANC Integrity Commission amid ongoing disciplinary proceedings.
- The ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula stated Tolashe may voluntarily step down to avoid public disciplinary hearings, with the final decision resting with the Women’s League.
- The Women’s League faces a leadership crisis as it currently lacks a deputy president and must rely on Secretary-General Nokuthula Nqaba to assume full leadership responsibilities if Tolashe resigns.
- Nqaba is expected to become the "holy trinity" leader of the League, managing multiple leadership roles similar to Paul Mashatile in the ANC before the 2022 national conference.
- Additional turmoil looms with the League’s treasurer-general Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae facing corruption charges, potentially leaving only two active national officials and forcing a possible early League conference.
