‘Not really a popular politician, but doing her work well’ – ANC pushes for Pandor to retain post

With some members in the ANC jumping the gun in lobbying for the reappointment of the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor to her current portfolio after this year’s elections, experts say that she deserves the honour of returning to her portfolio.

But political sciences professor at the University of South Africa, Dirk Kotzé, said Pandor could be doing her work very well, but lacked a constituency to back her in the ANC in any endeavour to contest successfully for higher office in the ANC, such as the post of deputy president.

He said even after being appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa as his running mate in the run-up to the 2017 and 2022 party conferences, she was overtaken by other candidates with constituencies for the post.

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Those who contested included current Deputy President Paul Mashatile, Minister of Justice and Correctional Services Ronald Lamola and Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane.

“She must be doing her work well, but she is not really a popular politician. She is not someone who goes out to the provinces and works within the provinces. She is very preoccupied with her job as minister,” said Kotzé.

“As a popular person in the ANC with an established constituency, she doesn’t have that. That’s one of the reasons I would say she hasn’t been able to stand for any form of election in the ANC.”

Pandor has represented SA well

International relations and foreign policy analyst from North-West University, Dominic Maphaka, said Pandor’s unwavering stance on various international issues made her the best choice for the position.

“Pandor has represented SA well on the issue of Israel-Palestine. You will recall how the minister lobbied against the intention of the African Union Commission to grant Israel observer status at the African Union.

READ MORE: Welcome to South Africa, Minister Pandor

“With her negation of the Western states and some domestic opposition parties to lean SA’s foreign policy stance to the side of the West over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, for me, the minister went beyond championing the country’s foreign policy and became the mouthpiece of our international relations,” Maphaka said.

Pandor’s consistent stance on the Palestinian issue and standing up to the West on the Russia-Ukraine war put her in good stead among some in the party.

Some would like to see her emulating several previous international foreign ministers who served for many years in that position.

ANCWL to support Pandor?

Asked why the ANC often preferred her for foreign affairs and not for the party and the country’s president, Maphaka said as Ramaphosa was already chosen as the presidential candidate, Pandor stood no chance.

“But she could serve as the best bet if the ANC retains its majority in Ramaphosa’s second term. Even in that case, her nomination will be determined by the voting patterns and support from the ANC Women’s League [ANCWL].

“In the past, we have witnessed the division of the ANCWL with part of the league supporting the male candidate and going against those lobbying for a female candidate,” he said.

The league did not support Lindiwe Sisulu and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma’s failed bids to become the first female president of the country.

READ MORE: Ramaphosa urges Women’s League to help ANC win 2024 election

Dlamini-Zuma recently announced she would retire from Parliament after the election but will continue to be an ANC activist while Sisulu remains in political obscurity and was excluded from the 2024 ANC parliamentary lists.

Kotzé said the talk of Pandor’s reappointment was surprising since the matter had not come up for discussion and there had not been any suggestion she would be disqualified for reappointment.

“I think from that point of view, the possibility [of reappointment] certainly exists. I was surprised that she was renominated because I was under the impression she was going to retire from politics after this election,” added Kotzé.