Bathabile Dlamini out in the cold a blow for RET forces

Former ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president Bathabile Dlamini’s life in political oblivion is sealed after she was defeated by Sisisi Tolashe for the influential position.

Like all her senior radical economic transformation (RET) fellows who have retreated, Dlamini faces a bleak future in mainstream politics and even the government, where she enjoyed time as minister of social development under Jacob Zuma.

She will follow other RET bigwigs, such as expelled former ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, his ally Carl Niehaus and others, away from the dithering heights of Luthuli House.

Dlamini ousted

Dlamini’s attempt to revive her dwindling political career by contesting for the ANCWL’s presidency failed dismally when she was beaten hands down by the Eastern Cape-born activist, who has been part of the movement from a young age.

Dlamini received only 170 votes against Tolashe’s 1 756 votes as Ramaphosa allies swept the board in the party’s overdue women’s league electoral conference.

The contest was seen as testing the waters for the RET faction to which Dlamini belongs.

Blow for RET forces

Political analyst and director of the Centre for Security Peace and Conflict Resolution at Nelson Mandela University Prof Ntsikelelo Breakfast said Dlamini’s loss to Tolashe was a blow for RET forces.

“The Ramaphosa faction are thinking strategically. They are consolidating their power beyond Cyril’s tenure,” he said.

“I don’t think she stood a chance. The RET remains embroiled in factions instead of consolidating themselves.”

No initiatives

He said under Dlamini the ANCWL failed to speak to women’s issues such as gender-based violence and femicide and they had no programmes to develop women.

Dlamini herself was not involved in league issues but was busy with factional issues after she was co-opted by the former Premier League.

The ANCWL structure was dissolved by Luthuli House after it failed to hold a national elective conference. An interim structure was appointed to organise the conference held at the weekend.

Now the RET camp is in the margins since losing at the ANC national conference in December 2022 when President Cyril Ramaphosa beat RET proxy leader Dr Zweli Mkhize to get a second term as ANC president.

Next target

Experts believe the next target in the battle for political dominance will be former ANC national executive committee member Tony Yengeni, seen as the last hope among RET members.

Yengeni is said to be planning to contest against ANC Veteran’s League president Dr Snuki Zikalala at the league’s national congress this weekend.

The anti-Ramaphosa RET group has retreated and its senior members have joined other parties.

Some, like Magashule and Niehaus, promised to form their own parties.

Their ally and Zuma’s former aide, Mzwanele Manyi, has joined the Economic Freedom Fighters.