The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) Provincial Executive Committee (PEC) is backing KwaZulu-Natal Finance MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube as party chairperson in the province.

This follows the ANCWL PEC meeting on Sunday, which was held to evaluate progress in relation to numerous challenges facing the province.

The ANCWL is backing Nomagugu Simelane as Deputy Chairperson, Bongi Sithole-Moloi as Deputy Secretary and Peggy Nkonyeni as Treasurer.

In a statement the PEC said it is mindful that patriarchy is subtle and difficult to fight against because it is embedded in societies, adding that the ANC has to lead from the front.

“Unequivocally, the PEC expressed its unhappiness on small numbers of women deployed to critical positions in local government. The ANCWL PEC states that in future equal representation in critical positions of deployment is needed,“ the statement said.

ELECTIVE CONFERENCES

The ANCWL PEC expressed its confidence in the ANC’s leadership and applauded the task teams that managed to lead in the regions to ensure successful conferences.

However, the ANCWL was not pleased with women representation in the top five positions of regional leadership structures.  

On emphasizing equal representation in its structures, the PEC believes that this can be achieved by ensuring that women are elected in the top five not as a favor but because of their capabilities.

The PEC also noted that its programmes meant to fight against patriarchy and advance women emancipation were not moving with the expected speed.

It believes that some of its programmes will be more successful when all members of the league deal with “arrogance” inside the ANC.

The ANCWL also committed itself to defeat perceptions in some sectors that it is a distant and self-serving organisation whose only interest is to abide by what is dictated by men in the ANC.

The PEC also congratulated the ANC on its 110-year anniversary, and called for unity among party members as the organisation prepares to elect new leadership.

“As we commemorate this milestone as the movement, it’s imperative that we stop any contradictions, and infighting but advance democracy within our structures,“ the ANCWL said.