ANCWL hits back at Carolus, Hogan’s comments on ‘tsotsis’ in ANC IEC list

The ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) has hit back at party stalwarts Cheryl Carolus and Barbara Hogan, a former minister and widow of the late Ahmed Kathrada, for their comments made at Kathrada’s remembrance ceremony, where they condemned the “compromised” candidates included on the ANC’s list for parliament.

Carolus, chairperson of the Kathrada foundation, referred to Minister of Women Bathabile Dlamini and Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane, by saying the foundation would work against “smallanyana skeletons and frozen chicken leaders making their way into parliament” and that the foundation should have a clear standing on “tsotsis” who tried to steal the soul of the country.

The women’s league retaliated by saying the league was angered by the reckless and divisive comments attributed to Carolus and Hogan suggesting there were “tsotsis” in the ANC’s list submitted to the Independent Electoral Commission.

“The ANCWL recognises and appreciates the role played by Cheryl and Barbara in the struggle but will not remain silent when their uncontrollable hatred to some of our comrades makes them degenerate into being divisive counter-revolutionary elements. If they were currently participating actively in the ANC branches, they would have known that the list process was democratic and transparent, and complied with all the provisions officially provided for by the ANC policies and procedures.

“It is, however, disturbing to see that the two rich patriarchal princesses have no interest in speaking on issues that affect women. They do not speak on gender-based violence confronting this country, they have not called for men accused of violating women to decline to be on the list, they have no interest in the plight of majority poor African women who continue to strive for a better life. The only thing they do is to speak against women leaders to impress patriarchy. South Africa must see them for who they are.”

The women’s league accused Carolus and Hogan of using the foundation to remote-control the ANC’s process.

“The board of the foundation must condemn these tendencies of using the activities of the foundation to settle personal scores and spewing bile. Once and for all, the ANC leadership must also call to order any reckless and divisive element hiding behind a title of veteran or using structures like foundations to attack other comrades of our movement.”

Women’s league secretary-general Meokgo Matuba said: “Armchair critics of the movement don’t add any value in assisting the ANC to continue advancing the national democratic revolution. Exaggeration of self-importance and self-aggrandisement should not lead Cheryl and Barbara to think that if they are not in ANC NEC, then the ANC is leaderless.”

Hogan and Carolus were urged by Matuba to place their energies and experience in volunteering their time in building strong ANC branches countrywide to impart their knowledge by running political classes at the classes.

Matuba continued to say they must be seen in the forefront when the movement fights socio-economic economic inequalities which included landlessness; their voices must be heard when the movement called for the end of gender-based violence and femicide; and they should lead in the fight against the abuse of mine- and farmworkers.

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