Johannesburg - KwaZulu-Natal ANC Women’s League provincial task team member and ANCWL presidency contender Thembeka Mchunu has urged women countrywide to support the rebuilding of the league.
This is ahead of the 13th national elective conference set to run from July 14 to 16.
The league, much like the ANCYL, which elected its office-bearers after more than eight years of interim structures, is working towards rebuilding itself into an autonomous structure.
Speaking to The Star, Mchunu said she was humbled by the nomination from the Limpopo and KZN branches and structures, and her slate was looking forward to possibly leading the women’s body, should the branches and delegates put their trust in her.
She said her slate, made up of the late ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson as her deputy, Lydia Moroane-Zitha as secretary-general (SG), MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae as treasurer-general (TG), and Makoma Makhurupetje, is well canvassed to convince delegates to entrust them with the revival of the league.
However, since the death of Joemat-Pettersson last month, who represented the Northern Cape province, the slate would have to find a capable replacement ahead of the elective conference in just over 10 days.
“Maybe you saw that our slate had Tina Joemat-Pettersson from the Northern Cape, our SG is from Mpumalanga, and in Limpopo we have comrade Makoma, who is the DSG and TG, and comrade MaQueen. That is how the provinces were nominated.
“It is not only KZN and Limpopo that are represented; even though the nominations were kicked off by Limpopo and KZN, the slate is well-represented as we have a working relationship with Mpumalanga and other provinces.
“We enjoy support from all nine provinces,” Mchunu said.
On the death of Joemat-Pettersson, Mchunu said it was a tragic set of events that resulted in her untimely death, and as a result, they are affected by her death.
“It is very sad that comrade Tina passed away. It’s a very difficult situation that you come across when you have a leader who has been identified by the branches and you then part ways with her. Our condolences still go out to her family and the comrades in the Northern Cape,” Mchunu added.
Mchunu has called on civil society movements, religious groups and the general public to help with the renewal of the women’s body, and to help end gender-based violence and other socio-economic challenges affecting women and children.
“As we go into the conference, we will allow delegates and branches to deliberate the affairs of the league, and we will be guided by the mandate that they give us as our marching order and direction on how we are going to work with women in this country. Once we have that, then we will have a direct method of working because of the resolutions of the conference,” she said.
The Star