The inclusion of more women in the African National Congress (ANC)’s Top 7 is long overdue. That is according to senior ANC member Thandi Modise, who spoke to the SABC News on the sidelines of the ANC Gala Dinner at the Imvelo Safari in Reddersburg, outside Bloemfontein.
“It’s long overdue,” says Minister of Defence and former North West premier. “God-willing some of us will contest for the presidency. But for now, I am very happy that the president has been re-elected.”
Modise’s remarks follow the appointment of Nomvula Mokonyane as the party’s first Deputy Secretary-General, Maropene Ramokgopa as the second Deputy Secretary-General, and Dr Gwen Ramokgopa as the party’s Treasurer General, making three women out of the party’s seven-member top structure.
At the event which is a precursor to the annual January 8 Statement, Modise has also noted the inclusion of more younger people into the National Executive Committee (NEC), saying it was bringing in much-needed new energy into the movement.
However, she was quick to point out that “the new energy” also needs to be harnessed correctly to ensure that it serves the interests of the people.
“We can allow the energy to run rough and find ourselves in a space that we don’t know. We can harness that energy positively.”
Senior ANC member Thandi Modise has lauded the increase of women representation in the ANC’s Top 7 structure. She has also noted more young people into the NEC, saying that new energy needs to be harnessed correctly to serve the interests of the people. #SABCNews #ANC111 pic.twitter.com/4vnvR2Q1bt
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) January 7, 2023
She says the ANC must at all times remember that the priority is the ordinary people who cast their vote during the elections, and not the politicians themselves.
During the party’s 55 Elective Congress in Nasrec last month, Political Analyst Angelo Fick also reminded the ANC to proirotise the voters.
Markets have reacted favourably to Ramaphosa’s re-election as ANC president, but Angelo Fick says the ANC needs to remember the corporates don’t vote but poor people who constantly end up on social grants are those who vote. #SABCNews #ANC55 #ANCNC55 #ANCelectiveconference pic.twitter.com/xlhrz6hZrZ
— Sipho King K Kekana (@KingKAzania) December 19, 2022
