Former International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor says she regrets declining the nomination for deputy president that was offered at the 54th ANC conference at NASREC in 2017.
She was picked by then Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to be his running mate in the ANC presidential race. This move was seen as pressure on Ramaphosa to adhere to the gender equality policy of his party.
Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma campaigned for the presidency against Ramaphosa. However, Pandor declined the nomination, and former Deputy President David Mabuza was elected to the position.
Pandor reflected on her tenure as a foreign minister and ANC member in a sit down interview with Sunday Times's Lizeka Tandwa. She also revealed the importance for gender equality in roles.
"We had Dlamini-Zuma, but we have also had Sisulu and myself nominated but in the end I declined and I now regret doing that but anyway," she said.
She was responding to a question on why the ANC does not speak much about women assuming bigger roles or positions such as the presidency.
Pandor emphasised that there was work to be done regarding women taking on larger roles, given her experience and the engagements she had throughout her career.
Pandor encouraged women, especially young women, to keep up the gender role fight until they receive equity that they deserve.
"One of the things I say to young women, don't think the gender struggle is over, just continue. There have been victories and people see progress and then they relax.
"You must never, until you have achieved the level of equity that we desire, don't give up on the struggle, it always remains a struggle. So the notion of Aluta Continua is important in seeking gender equality," she maintained.
Earlier this year, Pandor alluded to her retirement in parliament during an ANC event in Cape Town.
Meanwhile, Pandor said she never imagined the ANC being in bed with the Democratic Alliance (DA) in government.
"I never in my 30 years of being in parliament imagined the ANC would be in a unity with the DA, so I'm getting used to it. I'm on a brief, a watching brief," Pandor said.
kamogelo.moichela@iol.co.za
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