Dlamini’s gender war misplaced

ANC Women’s League president Bathabile Dlamini needs to have a look at herself and her organisation before entering a gender war in the aftermath of the ruling partry’s national elections.

The minister of social development said she was disappointed only one woman – Jesse Duarte – was included in the top six, whereas they had two members before this national conference.

She lashed out at the party by saying “patriarchy had once again reared its ugly head”. “In the 105 years of the ANC as an organisation and a leader of society, we feel the ANC has failed the women of South Africa,” Dlamini said.

“We have to express our disappointment as members of the ANC because we are members of the ANC before we are members of the ANC Women’s League.”

The league was also desperate to have a woman president, but Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma lost out by 179 votes in the ANC leadership race to Cyril Ramaphosa.

That’s all well and good but what was the ANC Women’s League’s strategy to have a woman president?

The presidency aside, why weren’t they promoting strong women leaders for the top six positions in the lead-up to the conference?

The ANC is not innocent in this, but nor is Dlamini and her organisation.

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