Why ANCWL has given ex-leader Mapisa-Nqakula a wide berth

The ANC Women's League has explained why it has decided to not publicly support its former president Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula during her court appearances for corruption.

- By Mawande AmaShabalala

Mapisa-Nqakula was charged with corruption after allegedly accepting a bribe from a service provider. She has always cut a lone figure whenever she appeared in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court for the trial.

Former speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete was the only prominent ANCWL member who attended her court appearance while the rest of its members stayed away, raising concern about the unity of the party's women's structure.

The league also explained why it has not openly thrown its weight behind its treasurer-general and Free State Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae when she was accused of corruption in the media.

A service provider Patrick Phuti has claimed that he gave her and her husband Lawrance Mathae bribes and bought them a Mercedes Benz V-Class minibus. The allegations they denied.

ANCWL secretary-general Nokuthula Nqaba said the renewal agenda of the ANC was the reason why not a single women's league leader has been in court to give moral support to Mapisa-Nqakula. This was also the reason the league remained silent when the story of Letsoha-Mathae broke.

Speaking on Sunday World Engage last week, Nqaba said the women's league wanted nothing to do with corruption.