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Just hours after the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) confirmed its decision to ask embattled eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede to step aside, the ANC Women's League lashed out at the party over a culture of "removing women from positions of power".
Its president, Bathabile Dlamini, told guests in Parktown, where the league held a dialogue between President Cyril Ramaphosa and women, its leadership would seek to meet with the KZN ANC's provincial executive committee (PEC) on Wednesday over its decision.
"In local government, we started at 45% but we have gone down now," said Dlamini who accused her male counterparts of destabilising municipalities so they could appoint themselves as councillors.
She added women were also part of the Struggle and were demanding parity because they wanted to serve the poor and not be seen as "high-flying people".
Dlamini told Ramaphosa the league remained part of the ANC because it had always been clear on women's emancipation and gender equity.
"Now there's a problem, it seems our generation is not going to change it.
"The only thing we want is change. The ANC must stop speaking in tongues. The ANC must treat everyone equally ... male and female," said Dlamini.
She added the league wanted the party to be consistent.
On Tuesday, ANC provincial secretary Mdumiseni Ntuli announced the PEC had decided that all ANC members serving on the executive committees of the eThekwini and Msunduzi municipalities would be redeployed with "immediate effect".
READ MORE: Zandile Gumede, Themba Njilo officially out as ANC makes sweeping leadership changes
Gumede, who is facing charges of racketeering, corruption and money laundering, has been on special leave since June.
She is out on R50 000 bail after being arrested earlier this year on charges related to a R208m Durban Solid Waste tender.
Dlamini complained men were not often asked to step aside by the party.
Dlamini said she does not want to see the league returning to an era where it had to fight its own organisation.
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