By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
@MKubayi.
Head of the ANC’s economic transformation subcommittee, Mmamoloko Kubayi has been endorsed by her ANC branch in Protea South Soweto to contest the deputy president position at the ANC’s elective conference in December.
Her supporters on Saturday strongly believed her hometown ANC branch in Protea South, Soweto, would be the perfect launch pad for her campaign for ANC deputy president.
Kubayi was ushered into the ANC Women’s League event with an honour guard of women dressed in full ANC regalia and carrying the party’s flag, while singing struggle songs.
The event was dubbed a women’s month commemoration.
However, it was used mainly to announce Kubayi’s endorsement as deputy president of the ANC when the party heads to its elective conference in December.
The theme of “breaking down patriarchal relations” was fitting for the occasion, with each speaker linking their message to the need for a gender-diverse ANC leadership.
The ANC Johannesburg ANC young women’s desk leader Pinkie Numa announced Kubayi’s endorsement saying the ANC had no gender mix in its top six.
She said Kubayi had the capacity sought by the ANC.
While Kubayi stopped shy of placing herself at the centre of the party’s struggles to select women to powerful positions, she said 2022 had to be the watershed year that changed the party’s leadership to reflect the country’s demographics.
She said the ANC could not go around demanding women’s representation in the private sector while the party struggled to elect women in enough numbers in the top six.
Kubayi said the ANC elective conferences this year had not lived up entirely to gender representation.
After delivering the keynote address during the event where she hinted she would make herself available when the time is right, Kubayi confirmed that her branch informed her that they want her to serve as the deputy president.
She said those who believe in her will have to criss-cross the country and convince the branches that she is the right candidate.
Kubayi said the ANC was ready to be led by a woman.
“I think for me, even if it’s not Nkhensani who is deputy president but the ANC cannot afford not to have a female deputy president, that’s a principle. Even if it’s not Nkhensani in the top six, the ANC can’t afford not to have 50% of the top six as women.”
Change needed to start within the party, she said.
“Yes, it will be the first time that we have a woman as deputy but that is why I am emphasising it might not even be me and so that we must work together and I know a number of men in the ANC who do agree that it’s time that the ANC has a woman deputy president. Who becomes that, is something else … but we have to have a woman.”
She admitted it will not be easy but those who have engaged her have spoken to her about having ethical leadership, firmness, getting things done and having a dedicated member of the ANC leading them.