DURBAN: As the Bantu Women’s League (BWL) celebrates its centenary this year through the ANC Women’s League, calls for the next party president to be a woman is gathering further momentum.
The dismal showing at the party’s recent elective conference which resulted in only one female in its Top 6, has intensified this call.
The BWL laid the groundwork for the emancipation of women in retaliation to the repressive apartheid laws, when they joined the ANC structures in 1918.
Dr Charlotte Maxeke became its first president.
A year after its formation, Maxeke led a delegation of women to Prime Minister Louis Botha’s office in protest against the imposed carrying of passes (identity documents).
The BWL was aligned to the ANC and in 1948 was absorbed into the Women’s League, which was formed in that year.
Apart from fighting apartheid, the BWL advocated strongly for women’s rights.
The ANC, which turned 106 years old this year, elected a new leadership in December and came close to having its first woman president - Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
However, she lost to Cyril Ramaphosa and it was a dream deferred for the Women’s League which campaigned vigorously for Dlamini Zuma.
Despite the defeat, chairperson of the league in KwaZulu-Natal, Nonhlanhla Khoza, said: “Our position building up to the national conference was that we wanted a woman president because women in the ANC are ready to lead the party.
"We are happy that for the first time there was a woman candidate on the ballot paper for the position of president. That’s an achievement for us.”
She said it accepted the elected leadership despite its candidate not winning.
Reflecting on the role the BWL played, Khoza said: “These were courageous women who fought vigorously against all ills directed at women. Ours is to take the baton and soldier on.”
She added: “The struggle continues. Going forward, we want to see more women taking strategic positions not just in the ANC but in society at large.”
Khoza said the league would continue to campaign for a woman president when the ANC holds its national elective conference in five years' time.
“This is the stance we have taken and we tested waters with comrade Dlamini Zuma, and we will continue to support women to lead the party.”
The ANC has been breaking through the glass ceiling in terms of electing women to leadership positions.
Zandile Gumede made history in 2016 when she was elected chairperson for eThekwini, the party’s biggest region in the country.
Rule 6 of the ANC constitution states: “In an endeavour to reach the objective of full representation of women in all decision-making structures, the ANC shall implement a programme of affirmative action, including the provision of a quota of not less than 50% of women in all elected structures of the ANC to enable such effective participation.”
Of the 80 national executive committee members, 41 are women.
Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini lamented the gender imbalance in the Top 6 which favoured men.
Deputy secretary-general, Jessie Duarte is the only woman in the Top 6. She retained her position.
Former ANC NEC member and ex-president of the league, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, blamed it for failing to campaign adequately enough for a woman president.
The BWL celebrates its 100 years alongside revered freedom fighters such as Nelson Mandela and Albertina Sisulu, both of whom would have turned 100 this year had they lived.
Political analyst Professor Bheki Mngomezulu, politics lecturer at the University of Western Cape, said: “I think the ANC has done well in terms of putting more women in the NEC. But when you compare the NEC, there’s a huge gender imbalance when it comes to the Top 6.”
Mngomezulu said it was time women in the ANC proved that they were ready to lead the party.