Minister of Human Settlement Lindiwe Sisulu addressing parliament, Cape Town. Picture: Elmond Jiyane, GCIS
Human settlements minister and ANC NEC member Lindiwe Sisulu launched her ANC presidential campaign in Limpopo by urging women in the province to emulate the leadership of Queen Modjadji, the legendary rain queen.
Speaking in Mohlabaneng village outside Tzaneen, Sisulu said the clan of Modjadji, “world renowned for their supernatural rain-making powers”, has been led by women since the early 1980s.
She said the Modjadji dynasty had always been vibrant.
“If the Modjadjis were able to lead the Balobedu tribe with dignity and respect all these years, we must therefore know that it is possible for all women in this country to lead the ANC and subsequently the Republic of South Africa,” said Sisulu, as thousands of elated women applauded and ululated.
Sisulu urged women to follow the example of former member of parliament Chief Felia Nwamitwa of the Valoyi tribe.
Her determination and commitment to fight for her rightful place as the heir to the Valoyi clan in the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein showed beyond any shadow of doubt that women were ready to lead, said Sisulu.
“Her ascendance to the throne was not only a victory against patriarchy, but also a validation of our victory that has always fought against discrimination of women,” she said.
“We call upon women from around the country to fight the escalating corruption in government departments, district and local municipalities. We know that under the leadership of women, the country would fight the ills of fraud and corruption in all spheres of government with precision and distinction.”
Sisulu was in favour of the action taken by former deputy minister of basic education, Mduduzi Manana, who resigned over the weekend. Sisulu said the resignation of Manana should be celebrated by women in South Africa.
Sisulu, speaker of parliament Baleka Mbete and former African Union Commission chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma are the three women campaigning for the ANC presidency.
Front-runners to replace President Jacob Zuma at the party’s national elective conference are Dlamini-Zuma and Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Yesterday, Sisulu took a swipe at those who say it is an ANC tradition for a deputy president to always succeed the sitting party president when his or her term lapses.
“If it were a tradition, the ANC would not have any contestation or election. It is just a belief because, over the years, deputy presidents of the ANC succeeded the sitting president.
There is nothing wrong when branches of the ANC believe that one of them can lead the party to greener pastures,” she said.
– news@citizen.co.za