ANCWL WISHING THE ANC A SUCCESSFUL 54TH NATIONAL CONFERENCE
The African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) wishes the African National Congress (ANC) a successful 54th national conference to be held from the 16 to 20 December 2017 in Nasrec, Gauteng Province.
The ANC 54th national conference comes at the time when the gap between the rich and poor has widened, unemployment rate increased and poverty is rive. The majority of those who are facing merciless effects of unemployed and poverty are African women and youth. It will be upon the delegates of the 54th National Conference to resolve on progressive policies that will redress the economic imbalances created by the legacy of colonialism and apartheid.
As an integral part of the ANC, the ANCWL will be having its delegation actively participating at the conference. The ANCWL delegation will persuade other delegates at the conference to take resolutions that will advance fundamental changes to the systems, structures, management, ownership patterns of various economic sectors for the benefit of the majority of the citizens which are African women and youth.
It is vital for the ANC 54th national conference to finally conclude and have implementation time-lines on land expropriation, establishing of State owned bank; full banking licencing for black owned banks, legislating 50/50 % gender parity across all sectors at all levels; scrapping of requirements of work experience at all entry level jobs; provision of sanitary pads to girl learners; eradication of gender based violence, transformation of media to mention few.
The ANCWL leadership collective commits that the delegation from the ANCWL will ensure that the conference is characterised by high level of discipline. The ANCWL calls upon all delegates in the conference to ensure that any tendency towards disruption or any form of factionalism that might emerge be combated and those carrying such acts be disciplined. Unity of the ANC is sacrosanct before, during and after the conference.
The ANCWL extend its sincere thanks to all its members, supporters and ordinary members of the society who embraced the ANCWL pre- ANC 54th national conference campaigns in all corners of the country. It was not an easy campaign to run bearing in mind the patriarchal attitudes within political organisation and in some sections of the society in South Africa. Some media houses and business sectors became active participants in the ANC campaign and unleashed their unending attacks to the ANCWL preferred candidate and any person seen as being part and parcel of our campaign.
It was only through unreserved overwhelming support from members of the ANCWL, supporters and ordinary members of the society that the ANCWL leadership collective managed to sustain a successful historic campaign. It is the campaign that ensured that for the first time in the history of the ANC there will be a female Presidential candidate on the ballot. The ANCWL campaign also inspired other women within the ANC to show interest on their availability to serve if nominated for the positions of President and Deputy President.
The ANCWL is humbled and is very grateful to all unwavering support received during the campaign that was never seen before in the ANC since 1912.
The campaign has broken the glass ceiling for women in ANC politics. It has inspired many beyond the borders of South Africans and it is our hope that it will also inspire other women and progressive men in various South African political parties and various sectors of the society to challenge the current status quo that hinders capable women to be in the high echelons of structures due to conscious marginalisation on the basis of gender.
The political landscape of South Africa, Africa and the world at large must change in terms of leadership roles in political parties and must change for good. There must be an ending of gender oppression in political organisations and in all sectors of the society. There is a dire need for gender oppression free society where all human beings are fully equal in theory and in practice.
The ANCWL delegation to the 54th national conference will be fearlessly carrying the mandate given to them by ANCWL members, supporters and ordinary members of society who have the ANC as their only hope to deliver a better life for all South Africans. In the interest of the country, the continent and the world at large, the ANCWL delegation will persuade other conference delegates to ensure that progressive policies are adopted and the leaders who have earned their stripes in serving with humility, integrity, respect, honesty and having utmost interest of the poor and working class at heart emerges in the 54th national conference.
The ANCWL delegates have been given a mandate by the ANCWL members, supporters and ordinary members of society to ensure that the leadership to emerge from the conference gives undivided attention towards the eradication of the injustices of the past that perpetuates inequality, unemployment and poverty in the country. The leadership collective to emerge must intensify the fight against any forms of gender based violence and relentlessly fight against fraud and corruption in public and private sector.
According to the mandate given, the leadership collective must be led by the following national office bearers:
1. President: cde Dr Nkosazana Dlamini- Zuma
2. Deputy President: cde DD Mabuza
3. National Chairperson: cde Nathi Mthethwa
4. Secretary-General: cde Ace Magashule
5. Deputy Secretary-General: cde Jessie Duarte
6. Treasurer- General: cde Maite Nkoana-Mashabane
The ANCWL will rally behind the leadership to be elected in the 54th National Conference and be in the forefront to champion all the resolutions taken in the conference.
The ANCWL wishes the ANC a successful 54th national conference.
#We are ready for the historic moment!!
# Radical economic transformation now or never!!
Statement issued by Meokgo Matuba, ANCWL Secretary General, 11 December 2017
