Mabel Rweqana demands investigation into fake letter removing her as MKWL convener

The Umkhonto weSizwe Women’s League convener Mabel Rweqana has called for investigation into the origin of the letter that removes her which has turned out to be fake.

The letter dated April 22 which was seen by the publication was purportedly signed by the party president Jacob Zuma replacing Rweqana with Thando Mashozi as the new convener and Lindiwe Mtshali as a coordinator. The letter also warned that Rweqana was issuing unauthorised directives which was undermining the unity and the discipline and organisational integrity of the Women’s League. It also directed that all communications, directives and programmes not issued or endorsed by the duly appointed  MKWL convener Thando Mashozi or coordinator Lindiwe Mtshali.  

However, Rweqana dismissed the letter as fake and called for the party national high command including the president to investigate its origin. She said after seeing the letter circulating she immediately dispatched a senior team to Nkandla to verify with the president whether she knew anything about the letter bearing what looked like his signature. She said her team reported to her that the president denied signing the letter and disputed the signature on the letter.

“Now that the president has denied the knowledge of the letter, I want to assure the Women’s League members and party members in general that I am still their convener as we were elected in 2023. So as the Women’s League we need to know who forged the signature of the president,” said Rweqana.

She accused a senior party national leader whom he said since he joined the party, has been refusing to recognise her as the convener and had been dealing with the parallel structure. She said those who are purging her are using an earlier party proposal that once you are elected to the national high command you must resign as a member of parliament.

She added she “did not understand” why she was being targeted because all the members who are in the national high command are still in parliament like her.

During the party’s first national high command meeting after last year’s general elections which was held in Durban last month, Secretary-General Floyd Shivambu told the media that all party structures including the Women and Youth Leagues were present, however, Rweqana said she was not there.

The party’s national spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela had not yet responded to questions sent to him.

willem.phungula@inl.co.za