Is premier’s leadership style undermining ANC in Limpopo?

LIMPOPO Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba's "highly individualistic" leadership is allegedly fracturing the collective ethos of the ANC in the province, with IOL having received some complaints from ANC members.

- JONISAYI MAROMO [e-mail]

Some senior ANC figures accuse the premier of blatantly overshadowing her executive colleagues. The complaints focus on Ramathuba's seemingly "relentless visibility" at official government engagements, which has led to the perception that she has a "vice grip" on Limpopo politics.

"Ramathuba's relentless visibility has created the perception that she wants to be both premier and MEC for every department. Rarely does an ANC-led government event in Limpopo unfold without her at the forefront. She often leads programmes, launches projects and positions herself as the main story," one senior ANC activist in Limpopo told IOL.

"While hands-on leadership is commendable, this approach sidelines MECs and shrinks their political space. A premier should be the conductor of the orchestra, not the only performer drowning out the ensemble."

The activist, who asked not to be named, said the premier was failing to empower her team. Other ANC members raised concerns that Ramathuba was leveraging her public profile to further her own political ambitions within a party already struggling with internal divisions.

Her constant media appearances and prominent positioning at projects are seen as feeding speculation that she may contest for the position of ANC Limpopo chairperson.

"Politics thrives on visibility, but personal branding must not blur the lines of institutional leadership. Ramathuba's approach risks alienating her colleagues and feeding the narrative that she alone carries Limpopo's governance burden. Among her loyalists, talk is growing that she should be the next ANC Limpopo chairperson," the source told IOL.

"The ANC's strength has always been collective leadership, even amid strong personalities. When one leader overshadows the whole, unity is undermined - not because of ideological differences but because of perceptions about who owns the spotlight.