Young Women continued to be shunned by the delegates attending the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) provincial conference convened in Durban at the weekend.
Sixty-four -year-old Nonhlanhla Khoza, a long serving ANCWL member and social development MEC, again received a nod narrowly defeating Bongiwe-Sithole Moloi, who serves as KZN Cogta MEC.
Out of 1199 votes counted Khoza garnered 601 while Moloi-Sithole was voted by 598 delegates. Khoza was the incumbent. The conference was not without glitches following the verification process with some delegates alleging that they were unduly removed from the voter’s roll. The conference had been scheduled to sit for three days, but it was rolled over to Monday because of the tense atmosphere and allegations of vote rigging.
Several delegates from KZN key ANC regios such as Inkosi Bhambatha, Josiah Gumede and General Gizenga told Sunday World on Wednesday that they will challenge the conference results.
“We are not happy with how things were done. We were intially told that our names were not appearing on the voter’s roll, but in the eleventh hour we were allowed to vote. This is a serious matter which needs to be investigatited by the ANC national executive committe,” explained one delegate refusing to be named.
Deputising Khoza is MEC for education Mbali Frazer, eThekwini long serving councillor and senior ANC member Zama Sokhabase was elected provincial secretary, Fikile Masiko, an MP was elected as the league’s deputy secretary while Matozi Dlamini, the mayor of the rural based Maphumulo local was municipality became treasurer.
“In this crucial juncture of our nation’s narrative, the unity of the ANCWL reigns supreme. Our mandate is to empower our women, a mission that has never been more vital. Our shared goal should transcend factionalism and personal interests, focusing instead of the welfare of our populace,” in a statement released after her election.
Khoza has been in the Women’s league top structure since 2008, serving two terms as its secretary before being elected to the helm of the structure. The stakes were high at the conference because the chairperson of the league is almost guaranteed a position in the provincial cabinet.
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