**OPINION**
This previous weekend, the African National Congress’s ward 32 in eThekwini area nominated the Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) minister and member of the ANC’s nationwide govt committee, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, for the presidential place within the occasion’s upcoming nationwide convention.
Dlamini-Zuma, by way of her spokesperson, beforehand indicated that she was approached by occasion branches to enter the race for the presidency. She since said that she would avail herself for nomination and was nonetheless eager on main the ANC. Her affirmation of availability elevated the quantity of folks contesting for the ANC’s high place to 4. The different three candidates are the incumbent and state president, Cyril Ramaphosa; Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu and former well being minister, Zweli Mkhize.
There are some who imagine that Dlamini-Zuma stands a very good probability of defeating Ramaphosa, whose reputation and assist is diminishing inside and out of doors the ANC. He is beneath investigation by the workplace of the Public Protector, in addition to the Hawks following his failure to account for an alleged theft at his Phala Phala farm the place tons of of 1000’s of US {dollars} had been stolen.
Claims have been made by the nation’s former spy boss, Arthur Fraser, that the president was concerned in an elaborate cover-up of the crime. Fraser additional claimed that the suspects had been subsequently kidnapped, interrogated and bribed to maintain quiet.
If these allegations are true, then the president is complicit and is an adjunct to quite a few crimes – monetary and felony.
The final time Dlamini-Zuma and Ramaphosa contested each other for the ANC presidency, the latter gained with simply 179 votes, acquiring 51.90% of the vote in opposition to Dlamini-Zuma’s 48.10%. It was a really small margin by any measure – one which got here as no shock, given the credibility of Dlamini-Zuma specifically.
Dlamini-Zuma is, no doubt, one of essentially the most adorned ministers in our nation. She has served as a minister in each Cabinet because the daybreak of democracy. She has served within the ministries of well being, international affairs, residence affairs, as a minister within the presidency for the nationwide planning fee for coverage and analysis and presently, within the ministry of COGTA. In 2012, she was elected chairperson of the African Union Commission – the primary time a lady had ever held the place within the organisation and its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). That she is an astute civil servant just isn’t debatable. In all of the positions that she has held, Dlamini-Zuma made an enduring influence. As well being minister, she launched the Tobacco Products Amendment Bill, which made it unlawful to smoke in public buildings. As international affairs minister, South Africa was instrumental in mediating some of the worst battle on the continent. At residence affairs, she circled a division that was grossly mismanaged, which obtained its first clear audit in 16 years beneath her management. And since 2017, she has been instrumental in Ramaphosa’s Cabinet, significantly on the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notwithstanding some legitimate criticisms levelled in opposition to her, essentially the most vital of which was her assist for Virodene – a poisonous industrial solvent rejected by the scientific neighborhood as ineffective – on the peak of the HIV and Aids pandemic, she has accomplished properly in and out of doors authorities.
None of this justifies her operating for the presidency of the ANC.
The ANC is confronted with an existential disaster that’s rooted in numerous components, one of which is its full lack of creativeness relating to offering affordable options to the plethora of challenges going through South Africa. At the guts of this lack of creativeness is the truth that the organisation has grow to be a gerontocracy, significantly on the degree of nationwide management. Dlamini-Zuma has served nationwide authorities for nearly 30 years. There may be very little revolutionary considering that may be anticipated from somebody who has grow to be as deeply institutionalised as she is. There isn’t any logic to a 73-year-old girl desirous to contest the ANC presidency, which additionally interprets to the South African presidency. She can be nearly 80 on the finish of her first time period. I need to emphasise that this argument is true for all of the presidential candidates.
My foundation for singling out Dlamini-Zuma is private. I had the honour of assembly Dr Dlamini-Zuma in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, when she was the Chairperson of the AU Commission. The event was the OAU@50 Summit and he or she had gathered younger folks from throughout the continent to have interaction in a dialogue in regards to the Africa they need. I used to be one of these younger folks. I keep in mind listening to her profound speech in regards to the want for younger folks to guide the continent – an argument that’s supported by the information of the advantages of a youth demographic dividend. It was awe-inspiring and cemented her as an astute and smart chief.
It is for this cause that I can’t reconcile with how this similar particular person desires to contest the presidency when she may very well be marshalling assist for youthful folks to take the reins. Some of those that have been nominated for the deputy presidency, corresponding to Human Settlements Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and Correctional Services Minister, Ronald Lamola, are comparatively younger. It would make sense for Dlamini-Zuma to make use of her positionality to persuade one of them to go toe-to-toe with Ramaphosa and to mobilise assist for the candidates. It can be particularly profound if that one is Kubayi – a lady who has additionally confirmed efficient wherever she had led. This can be a symbolic however deeply profound assertion demonstrating sincerity in her argument for youthful management in Africa. Her contesting the ANC presidency affirms the disastrous tendency of African leaders being unwilling to make means for youthful generations to take over the baton of management. This tendency is a risk to the event of Africa. One want solely research the numerous African international locations the place leaders have held onto energy for many years to grasp how this tendency stifles democracy, stunts progress, kills capability for innovation and units parameters for cultural, financial and political regression. I anticipated extra from Dlamini-Zuma. Much extra.
Mahlatsi is a Research Fellow on the Institute for Pan African Thought and Conversation on the University of Johannesburg.