Women finally get meaningful voice

The news that party deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa has made overtures to another ANC presidential hopeful, Lindiwe Sisulu, to be his running mate is to be welcomed. The fact that Ramaphosa has apparently recognised that women need to play an increasingly important role in South African politics may be his genuinely held belief, or it may be a calculated political ploy, given the strength of the campaign of his major opponent, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Let us not forget that the former head of the African Union has, throughout her life and political career, always been so much more than the wife or ex-wife of President Jacob Zuma.

As home affairs minister, she put right many wrongs – which her male successors have allowed to proliferate again – and as foreign minister, she commanded respect internationally. She has significant support among the grassroots structures of the ANC, which means her candidacy ensures that the elective conference will not be a walkover for Ramaphosa.

Sisulu, who came into the presidential race comparatively late in the game, has shown that she also has support among some branches of the ANC Women’s League and she has acquitted herself adequately as a minister.

However, Ramaphosa’s putting out feelers to Sisulu is also throwing down the gauntlet to the Zuma faction. He is saying that if he wins in December, Sisulu will be his deputy. This effectively ends speculation that he would, as a winner, take on Dlamini-Zuma as a way to preserve unity in the ANC.

The message from Ramaphosa is, unequivocally: game on! While that may be divisive in the short term, we believe that whatever happens in December, women are at last going to get a serious voice in matters of government.