JOHANNESBURG - Zuma’s pledge was made on the eve of a heated election battle yesterday for the chairmanship of the AU Commission and comes amid intense lobbying between the backers of SA Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and rival  incumbent Jean Ping of Gabon.

Zuma pledged over $200 000 in aid for the African Women’s focus on Agriculture and Food Security in 2012.

Political analyst Dirk Kotzé believes the move was merely “a symbolic gesture” which has little long term impact. Kotzé argued though that the gesture was also intended to bolster Dlamini-Zuma’s bid.

‘‘His pledge would make no real material impact on women’s development on the continent, although it does challenge the other African governments to make similar political commitments,” Kotzé said yesterday.

Kotzé added that Zuma’s move could be interpreted as support for the candidature of Dlamini-Zuma in her battle with Ping and her “stance on the plight of women in general on the continent’’.

Earlier, spokesman for Zuma, Mac Maharaj claimed that  Dlamini-Zuma had pledged to devote her energies to implementing programmes aimed at supporting the AU Decade for Women, should she succeed in clinching the African Union chair.

– musam@citizen.co.za.