The national executive committee (NEC) of the African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) has unanimously decided that its President Sisisi Tolashe, must take a leave of absence.

This decision allows Tolashe to focus on the ongoing disciplinary processes within the ANC.

This development follows her dismissal last month from her post as Minister of Social Development by President Cyril Ramaphosa, after the ANC Integrity Commission found her guilty of misconduct in public office.

During a Special NEC meeting held over the weekend, the ANCWL resolved to remove Tolashe from her active duties. The league’s secretary-general Nokuthula Nqaba has assumed interim leadership of the organisation while formal disciplinary procedures continue.

In a statement, the Women’s League emphasised that it will take into account the presumption of innocence, which is enshrined in the Constitution.

The broader ANC NEC has welcomed the decision to take disciplinary action against five senior ANC members, including Tolashe, following recommendations from the Integrity Committee.

ANC Veterans League president Snuki Zikalala addressed the situation, stating, “We still call on these individuals to step aside on their own volition.”

Zikalala urged the ANC NEC to resolve outstanding cases from the Zondo Commission and to strengthen the terms of reference for the Integrity Commission and the party's Step Aside Guidelines to ensure decisive action against wrongdoing within party ranks.

THREATS AND ATTACKS

Beyond internal party discipline, the weekend meetings addressed critical socio-economic and geopolitical issues.

The Veterans League noted with concern recent threats and attacks on foreign nationals in the country.

“We all need to be concerned about these attacks and respond pro-actively,” Zikalala said, placing the events within a broader geopolitical context.

He called on the government to enforce immigration and labour laws, urging employers not to exploit undocumented workers and warning political parties against using migrants as scapegoats for local economic challenges.

The Women’s League announced plans to lobby the government for an integrated approach involving all sectors of society to manage the influx of foreign nationals, regardless of race, colour, or country of origin.

The league stressed the need for community education to dispel the notion that only Black Africans are undocumented in the country.

Furthermore, the ANCWL intends to mobilise “progressive formations“ to "counter the economic seizure of local businesses by undocumented foreign nationals".

The league is advocating for relevant government departments to strictly enforce small business regulations and local by-laws. A key priority outlined by the league is creating a sustainable pathway for women to fully integrate into the township economy, specifically enabling meaningful participation in the local spaza shop sector to drive community transformation.

The ANCWL also resolved to engage the government’s security cluster to conduct proper due diligence regarding the rise of politically sponsored community protests.