By: James Dladla
There can hardly be a better time in South Africa than now to prepare for a woman president.
The country is certainly ready to be led by a woman. It looks like this particular agenda is generally well/received and gaining traction. At the same time it is becoming clear that Cyril Ramaphosa does not have support within the ANC. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, it’s no longer a rumor but a fact that the man bought his ANC presidency at the party’s 2917 elective conference in Nasrec.
Making matters worse for him is his failure downfall to implement ANC Nasrec conference resolutions, something that has upset many people in the ANC.
Many in the ANC are disappointed by his proximity to white monopoly capital, which bankrolled his theft of Nasrec conference to the tune of billions of Rands.
It’s no co-incidence that mainstream media , mostly owned by those that funded his Nasrec campaign, protects and treats him with velvet gloves.
It’s no surprise that white-owned media never bothers to expose Ramaphosa’s role in the Marikana Massacre, his son’s involvement in Bosasa and his misleading of Parliament and the courts which unashamedly have kept his CR17 bank account secret.
As a result of all of these, many South Africans do no longer trust Ramaphosa, something that creates an opportunity for a female candidate to rise.
South African women are supposed to deal successfully with this situation, speak with one voice and be fully behind a particular candidate. They cannot afford to play into the hands of men who want to maintain the status quo by dividing the votes.
We hear the names of Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma and Lindiwe Sisulu being thrown into the hat – although Sisulu seems to be a clear favourite.
It is now blatantly obvious that many ANC supporters and many South Africans have lost faith in Ramaphosa, who is perceived as being loyal to white monopoly capital that has made him.
It would, after all be illogical for anyone to expect Ramaphosa to deal decisively with a system (WMC) that groomed him into a billionaire he is today.
South African women need to show us that they are united behind one candidate. This needs to be clear to all South Africans ahead of the ANC’s forthcoming elective conference.
We cannot afford to maintain the status-quo by perpetuating a patriarchal society. Men have governed for many years while they are a minority in the country and some have messed up.
It is now the time for women to lead us. The ANC must also show us that the choice of its presidents is not dependent on White Monopoly Capital funding, as has been the case with Ramaphosa.
A female candidate must rise even if she does not have money to buy or influence votes. If the ANC can achieve this, then it will be the first step in the right direction to fight the elephant in the room (corruption) which is rapidly killing the movement.
*James Dladla in an ANC member in KwaZulu-Natal. He writes in his personal capacity
