KZN gets with the times with new premier

The ANC often brags about being the champion of gender equity, but it has been found wanting with its ongoing inconsistency in promoting women to key party and state political positions.

ALSO READ: ANC announces Nomusa Dube-Ncube as KZN premier candidate

While the ruling party has achieved a 50-50 male-female equity in the election of ordinary national executive committee (NEC) members, the top six have remained the domain of men.

The appointment of female premiers has been inconsistent. No woman has been elected as president, deputy president, national chair, secretary-general or treasurer-general in more than a century of ANC history.

A portfolio which seems to be reserved for women at the top is that of deputy secretary-general – since 1994, it has been occupied by Cheryl Carolus, Thenjiwe Mtintso, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele, Thandi Modise and the late Jessie Duarte (twice).

The ANC Women’s League, which was supposed to fight patriarchy and male domination in the ANC, has been silent about the women’s plight.

Instead, league members have supported slates led by men instead of backing women candidates. So, the recent elevation of Nomusa Dube-Ncube as KwaZulu-Natal’s first female premier is, indeed, a historic moment for the ANC and the provincial administration.

She contested for the ANC provincial chair recently, but lost the race to Siboniso Duma. She is a strong leader in her own right, with the potential to rise within the governing party.

But there is doubt whether Dube-Ncube will remain premier, as Duma has been under pressure to take over in 2024.

Other ANC women who have served as premier include: Dr Ivy Matsepe-Casaburri who, at the beginning of the democratic dispensation in 1994, was fielded by the ANC in the Free State.

Women who occupied the seat in the Free State subsequently were Beatrice Marshoff and Winkie Direko. After a decade of political domination by former premier and provincial chair Ace Magashule, another woman, Sisi Ntombela, was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa as premier.

Indications are a man will be elected to lead the ANC in the province after the next provincial conference and Ntombela may be removed as premier after the 2024 election, or even before.

ANC insiders in the Free State said there was consensus that whoever won the position as chair between Mxolisi Dukwana and Thabo Manyoni would let Ntombela continue as premier, but she might be ditched in 2024.

Nosimo Balindlela was the first female premier of the Eastern Cape, followed by Noxolo Kiviet, with several men between them.

But the post reverted to Oscar Mabuyane, who was also chair. The Western Cape had Lynne Brown as premier but the party was led by a man during her time.

In Gauteng, Nomvula Mokonyane became the first woman premier, but she was replaced in 2014 by David Makhura, who is likely to be replaced by Panyaza Lesufi.

No female has contested for Gauteng chair. No women has led the ANC or been appointed as premier in Limpopo, while Mpumalanga had Refilwe Mtsweni-Tsipane, when Mandla Ndlovu was chair.

Thandi Modise was premier in the North West but the provincial ANC was led by Supra Mahumapelo, who later took over as premier. In the Northern Cape, Sylvia Lucas was premier from 2013 to 2019.