BEIJING – President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s 2024 election as Namibia’s first female head of state is worthy of emulation. 

It has inspired so many across the world, including the African National Congress (ANC), Swapo’s sister liberation movement.  

These sentiments were recently postulated by Sisisi Tolashe, South Africa’s minister of social development, when reflecting on the progress made by women in her country in occupying prominent leadership roles and achieving economic advancement.

She said they can take a cue from Namibia.

“We congratulate the great strides that are being made by Namibia, Swapo in particular, on realisation and making sure that women are leaders of that country. 

We hope and are very committed that through their bravery and resilience, we will learn from them,” Tolashe said during an interview recently. Tolashe, also leads the African ANC women’s wing. 

Despite the progress, she hastened to say, the scourge of gender-based violence remains a thorn in the country’s flesh.

“We are really overwhelmed by the gender-based violence and femicide which organisations are fighting, and our government is hard at work in making laws that are relevant in trying to address that. Again, women are not as equal and are not yet benefiting, especially in the economy. This is a decision that has femicide, a decision that has been taken to say that 40% of what we have as a country should go to women’s businesses. We have made strides in terms of peace because only when a country is peaceful can a nation strive,” Tolashe said.

With two years before the ANC congress, the succession debate over Ramaphosa’s replacement has intensified.

The quiet battle over Ramaphosa’s successor has started, with analysts suggesting corporate interests, not party branches, will be the true kingmakers. 

Despite directives to stop discussions, the contest for ANC leadership and the country heats up. Names like former foreign affairs minister Naledi Pandor, veteran Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, ANC deputy secretary general Nomvula Mokonyane, Sisisi Tolashe, and others have been floated as potential heirs. 

Additionally, deputy president Paul Mashatile, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula, international relations minister Ronald Lamola, electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, and billionaire Patrice Motsepe are also being discussed. 

Tolashe believes women in the ANC are serious contenders for South Africa’s highest office and not pretenders. In fact, she said, “ANC women have always been ready to lead,” she said. 

“The ANC Women’s League has always been ready for a woman to lead. Remember, from the beginning, our women have always been part and parcel of the struggle of South Africa, part and parcel of Africa in all epochs. Even when women joined uMkhonto weSizwe to become soldiers in the liberation struggle, they were there. When we were fighting against the dispassion of epochs and dispossession of land, women were there; when the ANC was banned, some women were also killed, and some were taken to prison there, while others had to flee the country,” she said.

“So, women and mothers in South Africa have always been ready. There is no time when a woman cannot raise her hand to be considered. We discussed the ANC Women’s League to ensure that credible individuals, including women lead the country. On that one, we are the country, and we are very committed,” she explained.

Women support

While addressing the Global Leaders’ Meeting on Women in Beijing last month, Chinese president Xi Jinping delivered a keynote address titled ‘Carrying Forward the Spirit of the Beijing World Conference on Women and Promoting the New and Accelerated Process for Women’s All-Round Development’.

“Looking ahead, we should rededicate ourselves to the purpose of the Beijing World Conference on Women, build greater consensus, broaden the paths forward, and take more concrete actions to accelerate the new process of women’s all-round development,” Xi said.

To achieve this, he said, “We should jointly foster an enabling environment for women’s growth and development. We need to uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security. 

We need to enhance the protection of women and girls in regions struck by war, conflict, poverty or natural disaster, improve mechanisms against violence, and resolutely crack down on all forms of violence against women.” 

Additionally, Xi noted that in China, the cause of women has always been an essential part of the country’s modernisation efforts.

“Today, women in China truly hold up half the sky in economic and social development… In the next five years, China will donate another US$10 million [about N$173 million] to UN Women and earmark a quota of US$100 million in China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund for implementing development cooperation projects for women and girls in collaboration with international organisations,” he said.  

-emumbuu@nepc.com.na