ANCWL placed president Sisisi Tolashe on leave pending ANC disciplinary process after Ramaphosa fired her as social development minister.
The ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) has placed its president, Sisisi Tolashe, on leave of absence pending ANC disciplinary processes after President Cyril Ramaphosa fired her as minister of social development.
The women’s league announced its decision on Monday after its national executive committee (NEC) meeting on Saturday in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni.
Tolashe placed on leave of absence
ANCWL secretary general Nokuthula Nqaba made a presentation to communicate the ANC NEC decision in response to the findings of the ANC’s Integrity Commission on the allegations made against its president.
Ramaphosa removed Tolashe following a wave of allegations ranging from misleading parliament to failures within her department.
The ANC didn’t state that Tolashe must step aside, but it did implement a disciplinary process against her.
“Notwithstanding the gravity of the allegations made against Comrade Tolashe, the ANC Women’s League cannot negate the doctrine of natural justice and the presumption of innocence, which is enshrined in Section 35 of the Constitution of the Republic,” the ANCWL said in a statement.
The women’s leagues said its NEC unanimously decided for its president to take a leave of absence in order for her to focus on the disciplinary process.
Nqaba will assume functions of ANCWL president
The ANCWL said its secretary-general, Nqaba, will assume the functions of the president.
“The NEC further calls on all our members to observe the highest discipline, as we navigate this difficult time in the life of our movement, and we must allow the ANC to exhaust its processes, as guided by the constitution and the NEC, which is the highest decision-making body between conferences,” the league said.
On 6 May, Tolashe appeared before the parliamentary portfolio committee on social development to answer questions about several allegations, including irregular appointments, food aid distribution concerns, matters involving a former house aide and broader governance failures within her department.
Among the most pointed accusations was that she had misled parliament over vehicles allegedly donated to the ANCWL, as well as questions about the contract of the department’s former director-general.
Tolashe denied the allegations, rejecting claims that she had been dishonest with parliament.