Former ANCWL president, Bathabile Dlamini outside the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on 24 November 2021. Picture: Nigel Sibanda
Former ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) Bathabile Dlamini has been elected to the governing party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) following the reversal of her disqualification.
With over 200 candidates on the ballot, ANC electoral committee chairperson Kgalema Motlanthe announced the 80 additional members to the NEC on Wednesday.
Since there were no objections to the results of the ANC NEC, Motlanthe said the counting of 4 019 votes was finalised by 11pm on Wednesday.
“This means 91% of the delegates were able to cast their vote,” he said during a media briefing.
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Approximately 133 votes were spoiled while one delegate abstained from voting, according to the former president.
He also said ANC NEC, which is the party’s highest decision-making body, has achieved gender parity with the election of 41 women and 39 men.
“Given the fact that three women were already elected as national officials, the total number of women is now 44 which is 50.5% of leaders elected in this national executive committee of 87 members”, he said.
The ANC has three women holding top posts, including Nomvula Mokonyane and Marupene Ramokgopa, for the first time in its over 100-year history.
Former ANC Nelson Mandela Bay councillor Andile Lungisa also made it to the NEC alongside Dlamini, who was cleared by the electoral committee to stand as a candidate.
Dlamini was previously disqualified due to her perjury conviction.
Former KZN premier Sihle Zikalala, Mduduzi Manana, Ronald Lamola, Mdumiseni Ntuli and Bheki Cele received the most votes to be elected to the NEC.
Other notable ANC members who were elected to the NEC included Zweli Mkhize, Malusi Gigaba, Pule Mabe, Supra Mahumapelo and Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma.
The new NEC will meet for the first time on Thursday.
Newly elected ANC secretary-general, Fikile Mbalula said on Wednesday while Lungisa has been elected, a final decision will be made when the party resumes its national conference in January 2023.
“The issue of Bathabile was attended to by the previously NEC in terms of [ANC’s] Constitution… she was eligible to stand. [But] the Andile Lungisa matter will be done and dusted by the 5th of January because we are supposed to report on that particular matter to the plenary.
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“We did discuss it as a conference… there was a big lobby for Andile Lungisa to be in the NEC so the steering committee is seized with that matter,” Mbalula said.
Lungisa lodged an appeal with the ANC’s national conference over his two-year suspension by the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC).
This appeal follows Lungisa’s failed high court bid, which was dismissed on Thursday, to have the suspension set aside.
Mbalula, meanwhile, confirmed the deaths of two ANC delegates who died in road accidents while on their way back to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The party members are from the Mzala Nxumalo region in the province.
“Sadly, a leading figure in the [ANC] Women’s League lost her life alongside another male comrade. One delegate sustained injuries and was hospitalised,” the ANC secretary-general said.
He added that an ANC delegation would visit the families of the deceased.
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