Madam Persident? Dlamini-Zuma 'willing to lead'
ANC stalwart says she would run for party’s top post — but keeps mum on presidential race
NKOSAZANA Dlamini-Zuma has given the strongest indication yet that she would accept nomination for the ANC top job when President Jacob Zuma steps down as party leader in two years.
The AU Commission chairwoman said on Friday she would “never refuse any responsibility” given to her by party branches.
“In the ruling party you never refuse a responsibility. I have never refused any responsibility that the ANC asked me to do,” she replied when asked if she would stand if nominated.
Her term as head of the AU ends in June next year, paving the way for her to return to a role in South Africa.
Asked if she was in the running for the presidency, Dlamini-Zuma said: “But I can’t answer such a question. Any person in the ruling party knows that I cannot answer the question.”
The ANC bars its members from publicly campaigning for leadership positions, forcing those who seek high office to speak in code about their ambitions.
But it is an open secret that ANC branches are divided over whether Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa or Dlamini-Zuma should become the party’s next leader.
Whoever wins the 2017 contest would most likely take over from Zuma at the Union Buildings in 2019.
Dlamini-Zuma is now based at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa. But in recent months she has been spending much time in South Africa.
Over the past week, she has been visiting the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal in what some have dubbed an unofficial campaign tour. In the ANC, the CAMPAIGN TRAIL: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has been touring the country two provinces are the most influential as they have the highest number of party members.
Dlamini-Zuma’s prospects in the ANC presidential race were boosted last month during the ANC Women’s League congress, which called for women to be elected to key posts.
At the conference, which was dubbed the “pre-coronation” of Dlamini-Zuma, she received the highest votes to serve on the league’s national executive committee.
Dlamini-Zuma began her tour of the two provinces with a speech at the launch of a wom- en’s development centre Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape.
On Friday, she was in Durban, where she addressed KwaZuluNatal women councillors.
She urged her audience not to be afraid to set ambitious goals for themselves.
“When I was a student at Adams College many decades ago, a principal told me . . . there was nothing wrong in having big ambitions.
“Having ambitions and big ambitions is a good thing,” Dlamini-Zuma said to rapturous applause.
“Women should seriously grab leadership opportunities. Where women lead you can see a lot of improvement.
“Gone are the days when women looked down on each other; women should support and help other women,” she said.
The event was part of the Women in Leadership Dialogue organised by the KwaZulu-Natal department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs.
Dlamini-Zuma has recently been a prominent figure at various high-profile events around the country, fuelling speculation that she has embarked on a campaign to win hearts and minds among the rank and file of the ruling party.
Her potential presidential bid is said to enjoy the support of the “premier league” — a lobby group led by the premiers of Mpumalanga, the Free State and North West.
However, what counts in Ramaphosa’s favour is the fact that the ANC tradition has been for an incumbent president to be succeeded by his deputy.
in
Any person in the ruling party knows that I cannot answer the question