Can Bathabile Dlamini mount a comeback as ANCWL boss against fierce opponent Tolashe?

Former social development minister Bathabile Dlamini is this weekend expected to face what is likely to be her fiercest challenge when she vies for a second term as ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president against Sisisi Tolashe.

The ANCWL is holding its conference this weekend, a year after it was disbanded by the ANC's national executive committee.

Dlamini, who has led the league since 2015, is being challenged by Tolashe for the influential position. Tolashe is deputy minister of women in the Presidency.

A known former president Jacob Zuma supporter, Dlamini beat Angie Motshekga in 2015 to assume the leadership of the league. Motshekga was at the time seeking a second term. Motshekga is said to be baying for Dlamini’s blood to avenge her 2015 defeat by rallying behind Tolashe.

Tolashe is a known president Cyril Ramaphosa supporter and enjoys the support of Motshekga with other Ramaphosa allies, including ANC second deputy secretary-general Maropene Ramokgopa, who is also tasked with taking the league to the conference.

Though Dlamini is still supported by those who were behind Zuma, it is unclear where most of her support will come from. She is said to have some support from Gauteng.

Unlike Dlamini, Tolashe is supported by most provinces, including the Eastern Cape, Limpopo, the Western Cape and the Free State, with some support in Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

KwaZulu-Natal appears to be divided between Tolashe and Thembeka Mchunu, who is also vying for the position.

A win for Dlamini will mean the faction that once supported Zuma is mounting a fightback. So far, the faction has been getting bloody noses from those who support Ramaphosa. 

The Ramaphosa grouping has been on a winning streak as recent events show. For example, the disbandment of the ANCWL Dlamini led last year where Ramaphosa’s backers were installed as caretakers before the ANC national conference in December.

The outcomes of national and provincial conferences also dealt a big blow to the faction with only a few Zuma backers, dubbed the RET faction, making it into the structures. The structures are dominated by known Ramaphosa allies, except in KwaZulu-Natal and the North West.

The ANC also elected four national officials aligned with Ramaphosa — only deputy president Paul Mashatile and first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane were not, at the time. 

Tolashe’s slate includes Free State strongwoman Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae as treasurer-general and Lungi Gcabashe as deputy president — a position previously earmarked for the late Tina Joemat-Pettersson.

Nokuthula Nqaba is Tolashe’s running mate as secretary-general, while a decision is yet to be made on whether Dina Pule or Mokgadi Aphiri should vie for the deputy secretary-general position.

Not much is known about Dlamini’s campaign, which only took off recently, except that former Free State premier Sisi Ntombela is running as her deputy president.

Pemmy Majodina, a known Ramaphosa ally who also supports Tolashe, told TimesLIVE the conference was expected to get under way on Friday afternoon.

“We are standing between 80% and 90% in finalising registration because we had some technical challenges on our system, so we released the elderly to go sleep last night. We are restarting registration at 11am,” said Majodina

“From 2pm we expect delegates to be at the centre, 3pm on the dot we are starting conference. So far we are doing well, it has been calm.”

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula is expected to start the conference delivering the opening address, while Ramaphosa is set to close it on Sunday.

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