News24.com | Bathabile Dlamini can't be blocked for ANCWL second term, despite perjury conviction

Bathabile Dlamini. (Photo: Elizabeth Sejake)

• The ANC Women's League will host a leadership conference in June. 
• The league's former leader, Bathabile Dlamini, won't be prevented from contesting despite her perjury conviction. 
• Nominations for leadership roles will open in May.

ANC Women's League former president Bathabile Dlamini will be allowed to contest for the league's presidency at a conference in June, despite her conviction for perjury and the ANC's step-aside rule.

The ANCWL will finally hold its much-awaited conference from 18 to 19 June at Nasrec in Johannesburg. 

Dlamini is expected to stand for a second term as ANCWL president despite her term having been marred by political scandal. 

The former minister of social development was convicted of perjury in March 2022 and was sentenced to a fine of R200 000.

Ahead of the ANC national conference in December, Dlamini was one of several members disqualified by the ANC's electoral committee from contesting for a leadership role in the ANC national executive committee (NEC) because of a criminal conviction. 

However, a last-minute debate at the conference floor allowed Dlamini to be considered as an ANC NEC member. 

READ | Bathabile Dlamini not eligible for ANC NEC position due to perjury conviction

"Comrade Bathabile, like every member of the ANCWL, has every right to participate in structures of the ANC. We are not isolating her because any member of the ANC may be found in that situation. The ANC processed everything around her; the fact that she is sitting in the ANC NEC does count," said ANCWL task team member Pinky Kekana. 

Kekana said it was up to ANCWL members to decide whether they would support Dlamini, bearing in mind the vetting process for candidates.  

"Branches of the ANCWL are alive to the vetting processes .... The fact that the ANC has dealt with Bathabile's step-aside means she can participate," Kekana said. 

While under Dlamini's leadership, the league was disbanded. 

Maropene Ramokgopa, the second deputy secretary-general of the ANC, was appointed to head up a task team to coordinate the rebuilding of the nonfunctioning structures of the ANCWL. 

Ramokgopa announced on Thursday that the league had completed auditing its branches and was ready to begin holding branch general meetings in May in the lead-up to next month's conference. 

READ | Ramaphosa advisor touted to lead tentative ANC Women's League structure alongside Baleka Mbete

She said there were over 2 000 ANCWL branches in good standing.

The finalising of the branches came as a surprise because many of the league's provinces were unaudited last year. 

However, Ramokgopa said the process to clean up its database had begun in February to get the league to the conference and avoid extending the task team's mandate.  

Nominations for leadership candidates were expected to be finalised in May, while provinces and the ANC task team will handle any disputes. 

The league's leaders were unwilling to immediately disclose the cost of the conference, saying they relied on ANC donations.