Sisulu roots for woman to lead SA

Call to end male dominance in ANC

ANC PRESIDENTIAL candidate Lindiwe Sisulu believes “it is a must” that South Africa’s next head of state is a woman.

“It is a must that we consider a female candidate, whether it is myself, or (former AU commissioner) Nkosazana DlaminiZuma or (ANC chairwoman) Baleka Mbethe,” said Sisulu on Thursday at CPUT’s Bellville campus.

She was speaking to CPUT students at a South African Students Congress- organised event to commemorate the role of women in the Struggle.

“(The election of a woman) is important for the advancement of the ANC and society,” she said. “The constitution lays it down – we’re all equal before it. The only thing we’re not equal in is that women are more capable.”

Sisulu said it was important to note this was the first time in the 105-year history of the ANC that a woman was contesting the presidency. “That should tell you how far we have come in our struggle against patriarchy and fight for gender equality.”

Sisulu said if the ANC emerged with a female president, “we will have advanced the struggle so much further”.

“It is time to end 105 years of male dominance. Things will change.”

Touching on gender violence, Sisulu cited the physical attack by Mduduzi Manana, former deputy minister of higher education, on a woman, saying the justice system needed to be stricter “no matter who you are”.

She said her focus would be on gender violence. According to Statistics SA, in 2016 there were 51 895 reported sexual offences.

“Those statistics are a telling indication of where men and women are today,” Sisulu said.

There were jeers when youth activist Mesuli Kama said while he was for a woman president, the ANC needed to be wary in electing female leaders because it could be found they were incapable of leading. He also said women needed to make sure they didn’t leave men behind.

Responding to Kama, Sisulu said: “While we accept that it is time for women to be in leadership in the state and in the organisation, gender should not be the determining factor. What we want is a good leader, and it would be so much better if that leader is a woman.

“When women are empowered and emancipated, it should not be at the expense of men. We must find a way of tilting the balances without tilting them too far up (on one side).” Sisulu said she was confident the ANC had capable women who could take over the reins.

Lindiwe Sisulu