Pandor will walk the ANC ‘needle’ test in December

Whatever happens at the ANC’s conference in December, there will be a woman in a powerful position in the top echelons of government.

Either Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma or Naledi Pandor is about to make history when one of them is elected as either president or deputy president of the ANC, come the party’s national elective conference.

Regardless of who wins between the presidential front runners, Cyril Ramaphosa and Dlamini-Zuma, after the more than 4 000 delegates have cast their votes, this would be the obvious outcome of the conference.

Pandor is relatively unknown at grassroots level of the party, but is highly respected by those who worked closely with her inside and outside South Africa.

The woman who could be the first deputy president of the ANC and country later, if Ramaphosa wins, is respected for her dedication to duty and ethical conduct.

Political analyst Sipho Seepe highlighted her positive attributes: “Pandor is considered to be a hard worker. There are no question marks around her and, most importantly, she is not considered factional or ambitious.”

Rarely associated with controversy, Pandor has all the features that the ANC needs from its typical leader – uprightness, honesty and moral conduct which are often summed up as a “disciplined cadre” within the party.

If Pandor was to be put to the ANC’s “through the eye of the needle” test to weigh up her leadership qualities, she would pass with flying colours.

She has flawless struggle credentials, coming from a family of struggle heroes including her grandfather, Professor ZK Matthews and father Joe Matthews.

Few, if any, would doubt she deserves to lead the ANC and the country either as a deputy president or the president.

She has just emerged as a “dark horse” within the Ramaphosa camp, which was thrown into confusion after its anointed candidate, Lindiwe Sisulu, objected to being nominated as deputy president candidate.

Pandor gained the respect of many when she did not follow her father, who joined the Inkatha Freedom Party and became its MP in 1994.

She is known to be opposed to the president’s many shenanigans, including corruption.

This did not stop Zuma from appointing her as acting president many times when he went abroad, which gave her an experience of running the office. – ericn@citizen.co.za

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