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Eyewitness News
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
Late ANCWL's Mnganga-Gcabashe hailed for principled leadership, lifelong service
JOHANNESBURG - Tributes continue to pour in for African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) deputy president, Lungi Mnganga-Gcabashe, following her passing on Saturday. She died at her KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) home at the age of 64, after undergoing an undisclosed medical procedure. Mnganga-Gcabashe's last public appearance was more than a week ago at the Africa Travel Indaba in Durban. An anti-apartheid activist, Mnganga-Gcabashe also served as the chairperson of the portfolio committee on tourism and was a member of the ANC's national executive committee (NEC). She's been hailed for her principled leadership and lifelong community service. President Cyril Ramaphosa and Deputy President Paul Mashatile both believe her contributions to the struggles for gender equality and non-racialism will be part of her legacy. ANC spokesperson, Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri, said Mnganga-Gcabashe's passing leaves a deep void. 'She was a beacon of calm in turbulent times, a voice of reason when the noise was loud, and a steady hand in the rebuilding of our country's democracy. She did not enter politics for position or prestige. She was called by her community, elected by residents to represent them in peace committees during some of the darkest years of political violence in KwaZulu-Natal.' 'PROFOUND VOID' Parliament and political parties have joined in the tributes pouring in for Mnganga-Gcabashe. Parliament's presiding officers said she has left a 'profound void' in the parliamentary community and the nation. Parliament spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, said parliament's presiding officers learnt with shock of Mnganga-Gcabashe's passing. 'They said that honourable Mnganga-Gcabashe was the embodiment of dignified public service. She served in parliament with humility and unwavering dedication. In every committee she led, she was firm yet fair, and she led with compassion and strong principle.' The MK Party also sent its condolences to her family and colleagues in the ANC.
The Herald
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald
'A leader of humility and service': ANC mourns death of Women's League deputy president
Member of the ANC national executive committee and deputy president of the ANC Women's League Lungi Annette Mnganga-Gcabashe has died. Announcing her death, the ANC described Mnganga-Gcabashe as a leader whose life had embodied principled leadership, humility and unyielding love for her people. Mnganga-Gcabashe died on Saturday, leaving behind a lasting legacy that the ANC says will continue to inspire generations. In a statement, the ANC said her death leaves a deep void within the movement and the nation. The party described her as a beacon of calm during turbulent times, a voice of reason amid chaos and a steady hand in rebuilding the country's democracy. Born in KwaMashu on October 27, 1960, Mnganga-Gcabashe's political consciousness was shaped by the struggles of her community, marked by pain, violence and resistance. She did not enter politics for personal advancement but was driven by a sense of duty, elected by her community to serve on peace committees during some of KwaZulu-Natal's most violent years, the ANC said. The party highlighted how her early activism in the United Democratic Front, the Natal Organisation of Women and the ANC bore the hallmarks of her character: selflessness, empathy, courage and conviction. It said she belonged to a generation of women who walked gently but carried within them the fire of justice. She helped build the ANCWL from the ground up, house to house, woman by woman. 'She was never too senior to listen, never too distant to serve. Whether as a volunteer organiser in the townships, a provincial chairperson of the ANCWL or a national leader of our movement, Comrade Lungi remained grounded in the values of our struggle: humility, revolutionary discipline and people-centred leadership. In parliament, she embodied quiet strength and ethical oversight. As chairperson of the portfolio committee on public enterprises, and most recently as chairperson of the portfolio committee on tourism, she worked with care, compassion, and integrity. She demanded accountability not for applause, but for the betterment of the lives of ordinary people. 'She made oversight an act of love — love for the constitution, for public institutions and, above all, for the people. To the end, she remained a committed builder of our movement,' the party said. It said her recent election as deputy president of the Women's League in 2023 reflected the trust, admiration and respect she earned across generations. 'Her message was always rooted in hope and responsibility. She urged communities not to destroy schools, clinics, libraries and halls, reminding us that these were the very instruments of freedom our people had fought for. Hers was a voice that pleaded for unity, for discipline and for generational duty to protect what has been built. Comrade Lungi was a mother, a mentor, a comrade and a patriot.' The party said her loss was deeply felt by the Women's League, her family, her colleagues in parliament, the ANC as a whole and the nation at large. 'But even as we mourn, we remember her smile, her soft-spoken strength, and her unwavering faith in the capacity of ordinary people to change the world. To her family: thank you for sharing her with the nation. To the women of South Africa: may her life be a reminder that dignity and power can live side by side.' TimesLIVE
The Star
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Support and controversy surround ongoing saga of Timothy Omotoso
The legal battle surrounding Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso continues to polarise South Africa, as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Eastern Cape has officially filed for an appeal against the recent High Court ruling in Gqeberha. Last month, Judge Irma Schoeman cleared Omotoso and his two co-accused of multiple rape and human trafficking charges. The decision sparked immediate backlash, particularly from women's rights groups and the African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL), who argue that the justice system has once again failed victims of gender-based violence. NPA spokesperson, Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga, stated that the appeal decision was not taken lightly. 'This is a complex case involving a voluminous transcript. However, after careful analysis by a team of experienced prosecutors and external legal counsel, we believe there are reasonable prospects for a successful appeal,' Mhaga explained. The NPA has now taken the first procedural steps by filing papers with the registrar of the High Court, seeking clarification on Judge Schoeman's factual findings. Only after this clarification can the NPA move forward with a formal appeal based on a question of law, as per Section 319 of the Criminal Procedure Act. Yet, amid the legal intricacies and public outcry, a perplexing and controversial element persists: Timothy Omotoso still enjoys a surprising amount of support from young South African women. Outside court proceedings, groups of predominantly young female supporters have consistently rallied behind the pastor. Chanting and holding signs declaring his innocence, they have become a visible and vocal counterforce to the outrage expressed by civil society. Some of these women cite their experiences at his church, claiming he changed their lives, healed them spiritually, and offered hope in desperate times. Others argue that the media and justice system are targeting him unfairly because of his foreign nationality and high profile. This unwavering support from young women has baffled and disheartened many activists and observers. ANCWL deputy provincial secretary Nomakhosazana Nongqayi openly criticised the continued in-camera court proceedings and Omotoso's presence in South Africa. 'The justice system is not only protecting the accused, it is excluding the very people it claims to defend — women,' she stated. 'How can the community be expected to trust a system that keeps its doors closed while perpetrators walk free?' Adding fuel to the controversy is Omotoso's unresolved immigration status. Now facing charges of being in the country illegally, the televangelist's legal troubles are far from over. Meanwhile, the NPA is also investigating potential misconduct by both past and current prosecution teams, with disciplinary actions on the table.
IOL News
13-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Support and controversy surround ongoing saga of Timothy Omotoso
The NPA has now taken the first procedural steps by filing papers with the registrar of the High Court, seeking clarification on Judge Schoeman's factual findings in the Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso. The legal battle surrounding Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso continues to polarise South Africa, as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Eastern Cape has officially filed for an appeal against the recent High Court ruling in Gqeberha. Last month, Judge Irma Schoeman cleared Omotoso and his two co-accused of multiple rape and human trafficking charges. The decision sparked immediate backlash, particularly from women's rights groups and the African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL), who argue that the justice system has once again failed victims of gender-based violence. NPA spokesperson, Advocate Mthunzi Mhaga, stated that the appeal decision was not taken lightly. 'This is a complex case involving a voluminous transcript. However, after careful analysis by a team of experienced prosecutors and external legal counsel, we believe there are reasonable prospects for a successful appeal,' Mhaga explained. The NPA has now taken the first procedural steps by filing papers with the registrar of the High Court, seeking clarification on Judge Schoeman's factual findings. Only after this clarification can the NPA move forward with a formal appeal based on a question of law, as per Section 319 of the Criminal Procedure Act. Yet, amid the legal intricacies and public outcry, a perplexing and controversial element persists: Timothy Omotoso still enjoys a surprising amount of support from young South African women. Outside court proceedings, groups of predominantly young female supporters have consistently rallied behind the pastor. Chanting and holding signs declaring his innocence, they have become a visible and vocal counterforce to the outrage expressed by civil society. Some of these women cite their experiences at his church, claiming he changed their lives, healed them spiritually, and offered hope in desperate times. Others argue that the media and justice system are targeting him unfairly because of his foreign nationality and high profile. This unwavering support from young women has baffled and disheartened many activists and observers. ANCWL deputy provincial secretary Nomakhosazana Nongqayi openly criticised the continued in-camera court proceedings and Omotoso's presence in South Africa. 'The justice system is not only protecting the accused, it is excluding the very people it claims to defend — women,' she stated. 'How can the community be expected to trust a system that keeps its doors closed while perpetrators walk free?' Adding fuel to the controversy is Omotoso's unresolved immigration status. Now facing charges of being in the country illegally, the televangelist's legal troubles are far from over. Meanwhile, the NPA is also investigating potential misconduct by both past and current prosecution teams, with disciplinary actions on the table.
Eyewitness News
13-05-2025
- Eyewitness News
ANCWL in Eastern Cape says justice system enabled Omotoso to disregard the law
JOHANNESBURG - The African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) in the Eastern Cape has criticised South Africa's justice system, saying it enabled Nigerian pastor Timothy Omotoso to disregard the law. The televangelist who was recently cleared of several rape and human trafficking charges, now faces immigration-related charges for being in South Africa illegally. The league's deputy provincial secretary, Nomakhosazana Nongqayi, said, 'We are here to enforce and appeal to the law that Omotoso must leave South Africa because he is one of the perpetrators of gender-based violence [in the] country.' Unhappy with the proceedings being heard in camera, Nongqayi said the justice system is failing women. 'By the look of things, our justice system is failing us and again, even today [Tuesday], no one is inside the proceedings of the court, why? Why is it an in-committee thing?' ALSO READ: NPA to appeal Omotoso acquittal
