Angie rejects ANCWL allegations
FORMER ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) president, Angie Motshekga, has rejected allegations by the league that she was ill-disciplined.
Motshekga said she had served the ANCWL for years at numerous levels, including as its president. She had “not organised any events under the name of the ANCWL”, but was regularly invited to address forums on women’s issues during the month of August and throughout the year in different capacities as a gender activist.
On Saturday, ANCWL secretary-general Meokgo Matuba said the league’s leadership had received reports alleging that Motshekga “is organising various events around the country under the banner of the ANCWL”.
But Motshekga said: “This month I have been invited to many Women’s Month forums within and outside of the education sector. I still have many invitations that I will be honouring. These will include forums with women professionals.
“I will be addressing another such forum of women on September 3 at Freedom Park. I am sure the organisers won’t mind guests if they request invitations, should anyone wish to attend.
“It is disappointing that an organisation to which I have dedicated a large portion of my life, because it is meant to help women rise up together, can release a petty media statement aimed at trying to bring a fellow woman cadre down.
“Is this what the ANCWL has become under the current leadership?
“Where is the spirit of the great comrade Charlotte Maxeke, who founded this organisation and said ‘if you rise bring someone with you’?” Motshekga asked.
In the statement, Matuba said: “In order to maintain unity within the organisation, the democratically-elected leadership of the ANCWL under president Cde Bathabile Dlamini will nip in the bud any signs of ill-discipline rearing its ugly head in the organisation.
“Cde Angie must accept that a duly constituted conference of the ANCWL did not vote for her to continue in the leadership helm of the organisation.
“She must allow herself to be led and desist from trying to rule the ANCWL from the grave.”