24 November 2019
Conscience of a Centrist
“Let us be the generation that ends sexism, patriarchy and violence against women in all its forms,” President Cyril Ramaphosa proclaimed at this year’s Women’s Day celebrations held in the North West. “Let us be the generation that realises the economic emancipation of all South African women.” Unless, of course, you mean running the country’s economy and key state-owned entities (SOEs).
The appointment of Nampak head honcho Andre de Ruyter as Eskom CEO is the clearest sign Cyril Ramaphosa’s “new dawn” is but a long night for transformation, particularly for women.
The Ramaphosa administration has time and time again failed the litmus test to give confidence to women in the country that they too matter and are worthy to lead key state institutions. By anointing De Ruyter as the supposed messiah of the embattled power producer, this administration perpetuates the gender inequality that is pervasive in the white male-dominated private sector. The message from Mahlamba Ndlopfu is clear: we don’t have faith in female leadership!
The bar has been set impossibly high for black women to lead. De Ruyter’s tenure at Nampak has seen the company’s share price plummet more than 80% in the past five years, but he was still fit to lead a state-owned entity on the brink of collapse.
To add salt to the gaping wound, the president had the effrontery to summon from the dead the (wise) counsel of Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping, who famously said that “it doesn’t matter if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice”, to hide his administration disdain for women leadership.
Under the hoax new dawn regime, government has appointed Edward Kieswetter to lead the South African Revenue Service and Vuyani Hako to act as the Public Investment Corporation’s CEO. The SABC in under male leadership, as are Denel, Transnet, the Development Bank of Southern Africa, Armscor and the Industrial Development Corporation.
The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa is also run by a man. Airports Company South Africa acting CEO Fundi Sithebe and SAA’s acting boss Zukisa Ramasia are just but a few women entrusted with leadership positions in SOE sector.
It would appear Ramaphosa and his advisers do not realise that gender inequality damages the physical and mental health of millions of girls and women across the country, and hands on a silver platter tangible benefits to men through resources, power, authority and control.
The time has come for Ramaphosa to take from Mao Zedong’s dictum, “women hold up half the sky”, and take decisive steps to ensure women are appointed into key positions.
