Although Sisi Tolashe is the Deputy Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, she is not widely known in South Africa outside ANC circles.

With 1,756 votes, Tolashe humiliated former ANCWL president Bathabile Dlamini who received 170 votes.

Her real opponent was Thembeka Mchunu, the wife of Minister of Water Senzo Mchunu, who received 1,038 votes.

Mchunu was a candidate of the KwaZulu-Natal province which is the main contender to the Ramaphosa regime.

Tolashe comes from Queenstown in the Eastern Cape, a province that has been firmly behind Ramaphosa over the past five years.

Her hometown has been rocked by rolling protests over the slow pace in the provision of basic services like water, electricity and sanitation.

She has also not been vocal on issues affecting the youth, women and persons with disabilities.

President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the closing address at the ANCWL conference and tasked the league to "mobilise women throughout society behind the ANC".

"Women are in a powerful position to drive change. They have an enormous political and social voice.

"Women make up more than half our population.

"More women are registered to vote than men and voter turnout among women is noticeably higher," said Ramaphosa.

The ANCWL's top leadership is also made up of the following: Lungi Gcabashe -- deputy president, Nokuthula Nqaba -- secretary general, Dina Pule -- deputy secretary general, and Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae -- treasurer general.