ANC’s fear of female power

South Africa has lived under the promise of transformation for three decades, yet the most symbolic marker of political change remains unconquered: the country is still contemplating a woman as state president.

The ANC loves to describe itself as the custodian of equality, renewal and progress, but it has never elevated a woman to its top job.

The contradiction speaks volumes. The question is not simply whether the ANC is ready for a female president, but whether it possesses the ideological maturity, institutional courage and cultural honesty to allow real change at the highest level.

On paper, the ANC insists it is ready. Its documents condemn sexism, its conferences speak of women’s emancipation and every election cycle brings speeches about women’s leadership capacity.

Many in the party argue that a woman president is inevitable. Yet the lived reality tells a different story.

Political gatekeeping, patriarchal power networks and entrenched misogyny dominate. Access to funding, branch mobilisation and elite patronage still flows through male-dominated networks.

Women may sit in powerful rooms, but they are rarely allowed to own the room. Former minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s failed presidential bid remains the most powerful case study.

Her defeat was not simply the result of factional rivalry. It exposed the underbelly of ANC politics, a party rhetorically committed to gender equality but structurally resistant to it.

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She had ministerial experience, diplomatic stature, global recognition – yet her credibility was constantly questioned in ways her male counterparts never endured.

Patriarchy was wrapped in political language, making prejudice appear logical. Perhaps the most bitter part of her failure lies in a truth whispered within the ANC: some of her most hostile resistance came from female comrades themselves.

Envy, insecurity and factional loyalty converged and instead of building solidarity behind a historic moment, many women backed male candidates because aligning with male power seemed safer for their own ambitions.

This was a tragic betrayal that exposed how deeply patriarchy has been institutionalised, even among those who suffer from it.

When the ANC does eventually elect a woman to lead it, South Africa does not need a token figurehead chosen to satisfy gender dynamics.

Because the ANC has lost its automatic moral authority, national patience with incompetence and corruption is depleted and service delivery failures have eroded public trust.

A woman leader must, therefore, rise on the strength of capability. The job demands toughness, clarity and morality.

Today, several women within ANC structures possess the political maturity and policy experience to contest for the highest office.

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National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza stands out as a seasoned, steady and respected leader. Whether she has the charisma to seize the presidency is another discussion.

Former deputy president Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, though not deeply embedded in current factional trenches, is another name with global stature and an unimpeachable track record of competence and dignity.

Her national and international leadership experience shows what credible female presidency could look like – substantive, serious and grounded in public service rather than emotional populism.

Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba adds a different flavour. Energetic, sharp, controversial at times but undeniably impactful, she represents a new generation of political women unafraid to break rules and challenge complacency.

What matters is that these names – and other – prove the problem is not the absence of qualified women. The problem is the absence of genuine political will.

South Africa is ready for a female president. The electorate has matured. Public hunger for ethical leadership, accountability and competence is greater than curiosity about gender.

What remains uncertain is whether the ANC is ready to confront its own contradictions. The painful truth is this: South Africa doesn’t need a female president – it needs the best president.

And if courage finally trumps fear, that leader will be a woman.

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