Cracks have emerged in the President Cyril Ramaphosa faction as former allies Thembeka Mchunu and Sisisi Tolashe are expected to challenge each other for the position of ANC Women’s League president.
Insiders say Mchunu’s backers broke away from the Tolashe grouping after they refused to accommodate her as deputy president on their slate. Mchunu is the wife of water and sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu and Tolashe is the deputy minister in the presidency.
Mchunu’s grouping was said on Saturday to have resumed talks with a faction that backs former minister of social development Bathabile Dlamini.
“Their problem is that they want to dictate who comes in and who doesn’t. They rejected the proposal we made that Thembeka must come in as Tolashe’s deputy and we didn’t take kindly to that,” said an insider.
“They also turned down our proposal for Makoma Makhurupeja to become deputy secretary-general because we know Mpumalanga wants the secretary-general position.”
This, the insiders said, was what broke the camel's back.
A decision was then taken to approach the Dlamini campaigners to form one slate.
The slate would have Dlamini as president or chairperson should constitutional amendments be passed, Mchunu as his deputy and Makhurupeja as deputy secretary-general.
Another insider said there were meetings between the Mchunu and Dlamini’s lobbyists that went on until the early hours of the morning.
It was however not clear whether they had reached an agreement.
This insider said the chequered relationship between Dlamini and Ramaphosa was not a factor in women’s league issues.
“It’s not up to Cyril [Ramaphosa],” said this insider. “This is now up to the women here at this conference and it looks like they will find each other”.
By Saturday afternoon the Dlamini and Mchunu groupings had not found each other but those with intimate knowledge said Dlamini was not entirely opposed to aligning with them.
The problem however came when the Mchunu lobbyists told Dlamini she was too tainted to become the president of the women’s league.
“We told them that her image was too tainted and she is going to be hounded like Paul [Mashatile] if she insists,” said an insider.
“She agreed but with conditions. She said she would want to become chairperson if we are able to pass the constitutional amendments. We are looking into that.”
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Cyril Ramaphosa backers divided on who should lead ANC Women's League
One grouping, aligned to Ramaphosa, now believed to be negotiating with Bathabile Dlamini
Image: SANDILE NDLOVU
Cracks have emerged in the President Cyril Ramaphosa faction as former allies Thembeka Mchunu and Sisisi Tolashe are expected to challenge each other for the position of ANC Women’s League president.
Insiders say Mchunu’s backers broke away from the Tolashe grouping after they refused to accommodate her as deputy president on their slate. Mchunu is the wife of water and sanitation minister Senzo Mchunu and Tolashe is the deputy minister in the presidency.
Mchunu’s grouping was said on Saturday to have resumed talks with a faction that backs former minister of social development Bathabile Dlamini.
“Their problem is that they want to dictate who comes in and who doesn’t. They rejected the proposal we made that Thembeka must come in as Tolashe’s deputy and we didn’t take kindly to that,” said an insider.
“They also turned down our proposal for Makoma Makhurupeja to become deputy secretary-general because we know Mpumalanga wants the secretary-general position.”
This, the insiders said, was what broke the camel's back.
A decision was then taken to approach the Dlamini campaigners to form one slate.
The slate would have Dlamini as president or chairperson should constitutional amendments be passed, Mchunu as his deputy and Makhurupeja as deputy secretary-general.
Another insider said there were meetings between the Mchunu and Dlamini’s lobbyists that went on until the early hours of the morning.
It was however not clear whether they had reached an agreement.
This insider said the chequered relationship between Dlamini and Ramaphosa was not a factor in women’s league issues.
“It’s not up to Cyril [Ramaphosa],” said this insider. “This is now up to the women here at this conference and it looks like they will find each other”.
By Saturday afternoon the Dlamini and Mchunu groupings had not found each other but those with intimate knowledge said Dlamini was not entirely opposed to aligning with them.
The problem however came when the Mchunu lobbyists told Dlamini she was too tainted to become the president of the women’s league.
“We told them that her image was too tainted and she is going to be hounded like Paul [Mashatile] if she insists,” said an insider.
“She agreed but with conditions. She said she would want to become chairperson if we are able to pass the constitutional amendments. We are looking into that.”
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