The ANC should rethink its rule that the party leader must become the president of South Africa, says treasurer-general Gwen Ramokgopa.
She believes that changing this “unwritten law” could help women get a fair shot at top leadership positions.
“The unwritten law that the leader of the party becomes the leader in government needs to be rethought,” Ramokgopa said.
This rule exists strongly at the national level, but it’s less clear in the provinces. Yet, she points out, there’s still an “expectation” that provincial chairpersons will become premiers.
Ramokgopa is frustrated that women in the ANC are still fighting for recognition, and believes that the current setup, where men often end up in important party and state roles, isn’t fair.
If the ANC made its rules more flexible, she thinks it would help stop the scramble for gender parity after elections, and could finally balance the playing field.
Ramokgopa spoke while marking the end of Women’s Month in South Africa, a yearly event that highlights women’s issues.
Ramokgopa said women’s struggles in the movement continue and that although positive strides have been made over the years, much more still needs to be done to consolidate progress.
Just like ANC women had fought to get themselves into the ANC after being banned from the party’s formation in 1912, she said, women must fight for their right place today.
“If you look at certain positions in the organisation, like secretaries and chairpersons, it is still very difficult for women to emerge.”
Ramokgopa said, although things were not all rosy for women, it is important to celebrate gains made in honour of the gallant fighters of 1956.
Although women were battling to make it to the top in the party at provincial and national levels, it was worth noting that through fighting for their place, several women had been given the honour to be premiers without leading the party in that province.
“If you remember, Nomvula Mokonyane was the premier, not the chair [of the ANC] in Gauteng. Refilwe Mtsweni was a premier in Mpumalanga, and not the chair for the rest of the term, and she finished the term. Also, in the Free State, MaQueen [Letsoha-Mathae] is the premier but not the chair.
“Our position now is that where there are men premiers, women should be more than 50% of the 10 MECs, and also be the speaker in the legislature.”
Ramokgopa believes some of the limitations the women’s struggle faces today are due to the significant drop in gender activism as the playing field is getting more level. But despite that, women ought to keep themselves organised to protect their gains and fight for a bigger slice of the pie in the power structures of this country.
“We are now busy with our lives as women; gender activism is not as it used to be. A young woman has to perform in the workplace, also has to be available for children at home and participate in the community and lift others as they advance. So, it is not easy, it needs networking and organisations like the Progressive Women’s Movement, which needs to be strengthened.
“The message should be ‘women wherever you are, remember to organise yourselves’ and we must be available to support those programmes.”
Ramokgopa said her views on women demanding their rightful place in the highest echelons of power are not subjective, as some have made calls that she should be considered to take over the ANC when Ramaphosa bows out in 2027.
“It is reasonable to expect discussions on succession because we know that the current president’s term is coming to an end, so I do not think it is unreasonable, but we have opted to prioritise discussions on the 2026 local government elections. “If the ANC heeds Ramokgopa’s call, its Deputy President Paul Mashatile, who is likely to be elected the party’s next president in 2027 after clinching a deal with the organisation’s secretary-general Fikile Mbalula not to contest each other, will not ascend the throne as the country’s number one citizen.
