ANCWL not backing down on Dlamini-Zuma

AU commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. File picture: Antoine de Ras/Independent Media

AU commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. File picture: Antoine de Ras/Independent Media

Published Jan 10, 2017

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The ANC Women’s League has defended its decision to back Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to succeed President Jacob Zuma at the December conference.

The women’s league came under fire this week after it announced on Dlamini-Zuma at the weekend.

It said on Tuesday that it did not break any rules of the ruling party when it called for Dlamini-Zuma to be elected at the December conference.

“The ANCWL did not deviate in anyway from the longstanding mandate from its members and supporters to pursue the call for the election of the ANC’s first female president and having a minimum 50 percent representation in the top six of the ANC,” said league secretary-general Meokgo Matuba.

“That glass ceiling will be broken by having a female president giving closing remarks in the 54th ANC national conference in December and other female cadres being in the top six of the organisation,” she said.

The league's stance on Dlamini-Zuma came as the ANC told all its members to stop the succession debate.

The debate has divided the ANC, despite warnings from the top echelons of the party for its members and leaders to desist from it.

Dlamini-Zuma is currently the chairperson of the AU Commission and is due to leave her position in the coming weeks. She was made to stay on the job after there was no unanimity on the candidate from the continent to succeed her.

Her mandate as AU chairperson was extended for six months until January when her successor will be elected.

She is said to be pitted against Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is favoured by Cosatu and the SACP.

The succession debate has always been a sore point for the ruling party, with factions fighting to the bitter end to get their preferred candidate elected.

Political Bureau

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