Ahmed Kathrada’s funeral and memorial service two years was a key moment within the ANC in the fight against former president Jacob Zuma’s leadership. Former president Kgalema Motlanthe and Pravin Gordhan, who had just been sacked as finance minister, led the charge.

Two years later at Uncle Kathy’s remembrance ceremony, the party’s Barbara Hogan, who was married to Kathrada, and Cheryl Carolus on Thursday condemned the compromised candidates included on the ANC’s list for Parliament after the 8 May elections.

“We must take a clear stand to say that this thing of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ is nonsense,” TimesLive quoted Carolus, chairperson of the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation chairperson, warning of “tsotsis who tried to steal the soul of this country”.

She said the foundation would work against “smalanyana skeletons and frozen chicken” leaders getting into Parliament, clear references to Women’s Minister and ANCWL President Bathabile Dlamini and Environmental Affairs Minister Nomvula Mokonyane.

ANCWL Secretary General Meokgo Matuba fired back on Friday, saying “their uncontrollable hatred” was divisive and counter-revolutionary.

“If they were currently participating actively in the ANC branches, they would have known that the list process was democratic and transparent, and complied with all the provisions officially provided for by the ANC policies and procedures,” said Matuba, echoing ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule and President Cyril Ramaphosa’s comments on the controversial list inclusions.

“It is however disturbing to see that the two rich patriarchal princesses have no interest in speaking on issues that affect women,” said Matuba.

She accused “Cheryl and Barbara” of being distant from ANC programmes and the realities of its work on the ground.

“Cheryl and Barbara’s led Alliance is divisive. If they love the movement so much, they must be seen among the thousands of the ANC volunteers who on a daily basis are on the streets doing electioneering work for the ANC,” said Matuba.

“Armchair critics of the movement don’t add any value in assisting the ANC to continue advancing the National Democratic Revolution,” she continued.

“We will unashamedly combat any tendency towards disruption and factionalism. Cheryl and Barbara are not immune from being condemned when they are becoming disruptive and factional.”

Matuba did not engage with the content of Hogan and Carolus’s criticism.

The ANC list includes Mokonyane, who was water and sanitation minister when the department collapsed and is accused of taking bribes from Bosasa, including frozen chicken, and Dlamini who was found to have lied to the Constitutional Court and led the department of social development during the Sassa grant payment debacle.

It also includes Mosebenzi Zwane, accused of using his position as mineral resources minister to help the Gupta family buy Optimum Coal, and Malusi Gigaba, who was also found to have lied in court

“It is shocking to have people on lists who have lied to the Constitutional Court and yet still would, without shame, say ‘innocent until proven guilty’,” Hogan was quoted as saying on Thursday.

“There’s a time when people must be called out and told that this is unacceptable, it is not good for our country, it is not good for you and your family and therefore step aside and allow this country to grow.”

ANC spokesperson Dakota Legoete said on Friday that the party noted Hogan and Carolus’s concerns but said they could have raised them with the party’s top six or its integrity commission.

Legoete said the party would act against anyone who has been found to have participated in wrongdoing by a commission of inquiry or court, but various inquiries are still interrogating issues of State Capture but until those findings are made members are entitled to their rights and the party does not “want to end up with egg on our faces”.

Hogan was a strong critic of Zuma’s administration and Carolus was one of the ANC veterans and stalwarts who recently called on citizens to vote for the ANC while also telling the party to clean up its lists.

“We urge them to step aside if their nomination may be negatively perceived by the electorate and if in any way, they are undeserving of the confidence of the electorate,” said a declaration of party elders this week.

“The battle for the cleansing of the ANC has begun. It’s well on its way and cannot wait for the courts to be the custodians of our movement,” said Carolus.

The IEC has published party lists for all parties’ nominees for Parliament and the public has until Monday afternoon to lodge objections. The Constitution prohibits unrehabilitated insolvents, anyone a court finds is of unsound mind, and anyone sentenced by court to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine from standing for Parliament or a provincial legislature. DM