Naledi Pandor, the ANC veteran and former minister of international relations and cooperation, seemingly took aim recently at the quality of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership.
During her Gertrude Shope Memorial Lecture address at the Akasia Community Hall in Pretoria on Sunday, Pandor emphasised the dangers of leaders who fail to provide solutions and rely excessively on consultation, rather than decisive action.
“There is nothing worse in an organisation or a country than a leader who has no solution,” Pandor said.
“We can’t be asking someone else, how do we solve this? The people are looking to us to resolve it.”
Pandor’s statement has been interpreted by many on social media as a dig aimed at Ramaphosa, especially in light of the troubled National Dialogue, described as “a chance for all South Africans, from all walks of life, to come together and help shape the next chapter of our democracy”.
“There she said it. The president of South Africa has no solution,” said X user @Sthamber, among other posts echoing the same sentiment.
Pandor warns of national challenges
Pandor outlined the national and geopolitical pressures confronting South Africa, including shifts in the United States, Europe, China and the African continent.
“South Africa is confronting its most testing national and geopolitical stresses… All of these places South Africa in a situation which keen intellect and bold resolve should be preeminent,” she said.
Honouring Gertrude Shope
The lecture commemorated the late Gertrude Shope, a former ANC member of Parliament and president of the ANC Women’s League, who passed away in May.
Shope, who would have turned 100 this month, was praised by Pandor for her leadership qualities, calm demeanour and ability to face challenges with dignity.
“This reality was her fate, notwithstanding her incredible, dignified presence, stature, and calm demeanour. She had a look, which stressed ‘I can come with whatever is sent my way’. That is the kind of strength that is urgently necessary today,” Pandor said.
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