Shivambu denies claims of ‘gender double standards’ following CR17 resignations

Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Floyd Shivambu hit back on Twitter at accusations that the resignation of former EFF MPs Tebogo Mokwele and Nkagisang Mokgosi was an example of “gender double standards”, as it was “easy to remove women from positions of power and influence”.

The two women resigned after admitting to having received R80,000 each from Cyril Ramaphosa’s successful CR17 campaign for the ANC presidency. The party has been fiercely opposed to the campaign following leaked emails showing both its alleged donors and recipients, which Shivambu claimed in a blog post shows Ramaphosa to be a “rented president” doing the bidding of “white monopoly capital”.

The “gender double standards” claim was made by an unverified Twitter account in the name of ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) leader Bathabile Dlamini (@CdeBathaDlamini). It is unclear whether or not it is actually the former minister, as another account in her name, (@shahlesonke) is also active on Twitter, with both accounts having over 12,000 followers.

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Attempts to contact Dlamini through the ANCWL were unsuccessful at the time of publication.

Whether or not it is actually Dlamini who sent the tweet, Shivambu responded as if it really was the ANC politician.

After expressing the view that “EFF commissars” would have also resigned if they were caught in a similar situation, he asked “Dlamini” why she had not gone to court in a bid to reverse the outcome of the ANC’s 54th electoral conference, alleging that a “female candidate” (Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma) was “evidently robbed through money, which according to your rules wasn’t supposed to be used”.

Am sure even male EFF commissars would’ve done the same @CdeBathaDlamini. But wait, why aren’t in Court to reverse the outcomes of 54th Conference because a female candidate was evidently robbed through money, which according to your rules wasn’t supposed to be used. Proceed!

— Floyd Shivambu (@FloydShivambu) August 19, 2019

Tebogo Mokwele resigned after confessing to having received money from President Cyril Ramaphosa following the death of a loved one.

“This follows a deep and careful introspection about the impact of my association with the president and the republic in which there was an exchange of money for my personal use; a total of R80,000 between 2017 and 2019.

“I have decided to save the organisation the painful time to subject me to a disciplinary process. My actions have already caused the image and reputation of the EFF into disrepute [sic]. I cannot ask that any more of the EFF public relations must be wasted discussing my actions, as opposed to being dedicated to our revolutionary programme,” said Mokwele in her statement.

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She said she would go into an apparently self-imposed exile from the party for five years, expressing “regret”.

She maintained that the ANC remained the “strategic enemy” of the EFF.

Read the full statement below:

pic.twitter.com/WiPqw9wLOt

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— Tebogo Mokwele (@ntlhapa) August 19, 2019

Mokgosi cited similar reasons for stepping down.

“My decision is based on the fact that I did not disclose the nature of my relationship with the ANC president, Cyril Ramaphosa, which involved an exchange of money.

“Non-disclosure of money, particularly from individuals in the enemy camp, is dishonourable and disingenuous. In this case, I am aware that it has compromised the integrity of our organisation and the revolution.

“I deeply regret my actions and accept that I cannot be entrusted with any leadership responsibilities. It is therefore in this context that I resign from the central command team and as a member of parliament,” she said in a statement.

Read the full statement below:

@EFFSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/zP9psoQvMD

— Nkagisang Leeuw (@NkagiLeeuw) August 19, 2019

(Background reporting, Vhahangwele Nemakonde)

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