Johannesburg - President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated his close ally Sisisi Tolashe, who emerged as the new ANC Woman’s League (ANCWL) president following the 13th Women’s League conference held at Nasrec Expo and Conference Centre this weekend.
Tolashe, the current deputy minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, took the reins after garnering more than 1 700 votes and defeating two contenders, Bathabile Dlamini and Thembeka Mchunu, who were vying for the league’s leadership role.
The conference saw Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe elected as deputy president, while Nokuthula Nqaba was elected secretary-general of the league.
Former minister Dina Pule was elected deputy secretary-general, and Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae emerged as treasurer general after more than 3 000 delegates participated in the election of the top five at the conference.
In his closing address on Sunday night, Ramaphosa urged women to reclaim their place in the affairs of the party and those of the country at large in order to achieve gender equality, economic freedom, and representation.
He also urged women to push for at least 40% government procurement for women-owned businesses, including ensuring that the ANC wins next year’s general elections convincingly.
“This is an important issue so that we can empower the women of our country, and in government, we are moving forward with this. We are moving forward in preparing women with workshops and training. It is taking time, but it is something that must happen so that women in our country know that they have set aside 40% of the procurement of goods and services,” he said.
He added that it was important for the ruling party to remain on top and united ahead of the elections next year.
“As women, you constitute the largest number of people who are registered to vote than men. At voting time, it is you, the women of South Africa, who turn out in larger numbers than men, and therefore, as we approach the 2024 elections, the ANCWL has an important role to play because when it comes to mobilising for the ANC, you are right at the top there, and we thank you for that,” he said.
The conference had yet to announce the names of the 40 additional members who will sit on the league’s national executive committee following a series of delays that affected the smooth running of the conference.
In her acceptance speech, Tolashe said she was honoured with the mandate of leading the league.
“The ANCWL must be present and unite to ensure that we become the best in agriculture as food producers. Women believe that the women’s league will continue to fight for the rights of women and champion the struggle for women. We must also push for the procurement of good services from women’s businesses,” she said.
The Star