JOHANNESBURG, December 19 (ANA) – The African National Congress (ANC) has failed South African women after choosing Cyril Ramaphosa over Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to lead the governing party, ANC Womens League (ANCWL) president Bathabile Dlamini said on Tuesday.
Still reeling from her shock after Monday’s elections outcome, Dlamini said patriarchy has once again “reared its ugly head” in the ANC.
“We are disappointed. We fought a good fight…this was history in making for women in the ANC. We had a female as [presidential] candidate on the ballot paper, our common goal should be fighting and defeating patriarchy and sexism,” she told reporters at a briefing at Nasrec, Johannesburg.
The women’s league rallied behind Dlamini-Zuma touting her as the choice for women.
She also received support from the youth league and the MK Veterans Association (MKMVA) who campaigned for her in the run-up to the national conference.
Interestingly, Lindiwe Sisulu, who lost deputy presidency to Mpumalanga’s David Mabuza, did not receive support from Dlamini and the women’s league.
Dlamini was visibly disheartened on Monday as she left plenary.
Lindiwe Zulu and other ANCWL executive committee members ushered her into a room at the media lounge. They held an impromptu caucus, with Zulu requesting journalists to afford the women’s league a chance to “sit and absorb what happened before they can comment”.
Spokeswoman Tokozile Xasa said there would be no resignations at ANCWL for failure to get a woman lead the ANC.
“We campaigned for that name and here we are. We will not resign…we are disappointed by the outcome but we won’t resign. We are moving on and ensure that our structure grows,” she said.
– African News Agency (ANA), Editing by Devereaux Morkel
