Africa-Press – South-Africa. Former ANC Women’s League leader Bathabile Dlamini is not eligible to contest for a position on the ANC national executive committee (NEC) because of a perjury conviction.
On Wednesday, Dlamini was sent a letter outlining that the ANC’s electoral committee vetting process had eliminated her from contesting for a top six position or any additional leadership roles.
“The vetting information at our disposal reveals that you have a historical record of being found guilty of a serious crime in a court of law, in which the prison sentence had been more than six months,” the letter signed by the ANC’s electoral committee chairperson, Kgalema Motlanthe, stated.
Dlamini was convicted in March and sentenced to a four-year prison sentence or a fine of R200 000.
Dlamini received 856 nominations to return to the NEC when the party heads to a conference next week.
The former minister tweeted on Thursday what appeared to be accusations that she was being “told stories regarding her nomination”.
Ahead of the start of the nomination process, ANC members were told by Motlanthe that members who had been convicted of crimes were unable to stand for leadership positions.
News24 approached the ANC’s electoral committee on Dlamini’s exclusion, but was informed the committee did not opine on specific exclusions.
ANC nomination complaints
The electoral committee believes some ANC members “want to impose themselves on the ballot without being nominated” after a few filed complaints disputing the 200 names nominated for the party’s decision-making body.
The secretary of the electoral committee, Chief Livhuwani Matsila, said ANC members had been on a media tour to air their grievances about unfounded allegations regarding the compilation of the top 200 nominated members.
Matsila told News24 that these members had not provided evidence to back up their claims.
Motlanthe announced the final 200 people nominated for the NEC last week.
News24 previously reported on ANC members who had complained about the list, citing gender disparities and even age.
Several former key ANC leaders did not make it to the nomination list, either because they declined the nomination or did not meet the qualifying numbers.
Some former NEC members who did not make the list include Tony Yengeni, Pravin Gordhan and Derek Hanekom. The latter indicated he had declined the nomination.
Complaints about the selection of the leading nominees started when NEC member Lindiwe Sisulu questioned the committee on what she believed was her exclusion from nomination.
“They are raising these serious allegations without a shred of evidence whatsoever, and we call on them to produce evidence. You cannot run amok and level allegations against the electoral committee,” Matsila said.
“The process started at the branches, and they nominated those they preferred to lead the ANC. Once the branches had done the nominations, we consolidated the numbers provincially into the top 80 per province, resulting in the national consolidation of the top 200 nominations in the country. And these comrades are not on the list, which is their gripe.”
Matsila said those questioning the outcome of legitimate branch nominations were doubting decisions taken by ANC members in the week leading up to the closure of the nomination process.
“The branches of the ANC should be the ones that raise complaints about their nominations not being considered. It is against ANC tradition for comrades to cry foul when they are not nominated. We plead with them to accept the results of the nominations and respect the 4 000 branches that nominated those they prefer to lead.
“When you question the integrity of the nominations, you are questioning the work of the branches. You are questioning their preferences,” he said.
The ANC elective conference starts on 16 December and fierce lobbying for positions is expected to continue ahead of the conference.
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