Ramokgopa attacks 'president must be party leader' tradition

The ANC should rethink its rule that the party leader must become the president of South Africa, says treasurer-general Gwen Ramokgopa.

- By Mawande AmaShabalala

She believes that changing this “unwritten law” could help women get a fair shot at top leadership positions.

“The unwritten law that the leader of the party becomes the leader in government needs to be rethought,” Ramokgopa said.

This rule exists strongly at the national level, but it’s less clear in the provinces. Yet, she points out, there’s still an “expectation” that provincial chairpersons will become premiers.

Ramokgopa is frustrated that women in the ANC are still fighting for recognition, and believes that the current setup, where men often end up in important party and state roles, isn’t fair.

If the ANC made its rules more flexible, she thinks it would help stop the scramble for gender parity after elections, and could finally balance the playing field.

Ramokgopa spoke while marking the end of Women’s Month in South Africa, a yearly event that highlights women’s issues.

Ramokgopa said women’s struggles in the movement continue and that although positive strides have been made over the years, much more still needs to be done to consolidate progress.