Bathabile Dlamini booted out of ANC leadership contest

Former ANC Women's League president Bathabile Dlamini has been disqualified from being nominated as a candidate for the party’s National Executive Committee during next week’s national conference in Nasrec. 

The former social development minister was informed she was ineligible to stand for a National Executive Committee position, according to the party’s electoral committee led by Kgalema Motlanthe .

In a letter dated December 7 tweeted by Dlamini, Motlanthe informed her she was ineligible to stand for an NEC position at the party’s conference in a week due to having being previously found guilty of a crime.

Dlamini was nominated by 856 branches as an additional ANC NEC member.

She was convicted of perjury in April this year after having been found to have lied to a Constitutional Court-mandated inquiry into the Sassa grants crisis.

In the letter, Motlanthe wrote: “The vetting information at our disposal reveals that you have a historical record of being found guilty of a serious crime in a court of law for which the prison sentence had been more than six months.

“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,” Motlanthe wrote.

According to the ANC’s step-aside resolution adopted during the 2017 conference, party members convicted, charged of serious crimes are barred from contesting or being nominated for party positions.

According to the ANC constitution, those guilty or convicted in law are automatically guilty of bringing the ANC into disrepute. Rule 25.45 of the constitution also says that during the period of suspension, a member shall be precluded from exercising any right in terms of this constitution, save to prosecute his or her appeal or review application and be present at any necessary attendance in connection therewith.

The rule has been met with strong resistance from parts of the ANC, while others within the party want the resolution to not only be a conference resolution but be incorporated into the constitution because they believe it will be easier to administer.