‘Remove the money element’: Sisulu says ANC’s money-driven election is hard on women leaders

Tourism minister and ANC presidential hopeful Lindiwe Sisulu says removing the alleged use of money to elect leaders would better serve aspirant women leaders. 

Sisulu was speaking on Radio 702 about the importance of women’s involvement in leadership roles ahead of the ANC’s elective conference in December. The minister is among senior ANC members who will vie for the presidential position at the party’s national conference.

She said she threw her hat in the ring in the race to succeed President Cyril Ramaphosa to reform the ANC and do away with the money element that is destroying the quality of the party. 

“I think it's the driving force behind current elections, which are money-driven, that makes it very difficult for women. 

“It is the money element that is destroying the quality and essence of what we represent. We [as women] would like to make sure we put the ANC on course and make sure we take our place,” said Sisulu.

She said the use of money is irregular for a political organisation with roots like the ANC's. 

“Remove the money element and tell me if we would come to the same conclusion about who has been appointed who now. The use of money is irregular for a political organisation that has the origins we have in the ANC, and the sooner we reform the system of elections in the ANC, the better it will be for the future.”

Last week, Sisulu called for the ANC conference to look at the money issue.

Sisulu told SABC News she hopes nominations from branches for candidates, including Ramaphosa, are not the result of financial inducement. 

“I hope these are not people who are given money to vote in a particular way. That is something in this conference we’re going to need to take a resolution on. How do we fund people who are standing?” asked Sisulu.

She said ANC members who have a “bigger purse have a bigger opportunity of ascending”, and it is no longer about the values of the party but how much money people have. 

Former president Jacob Zuma claimed at the weekend that Ramaphosa used money to buy positions and was not elected democratically. 

“There were allegations made that Ramaphosa, who was contesting the presidency, used a lot of money to buy his position as president of the ANC.

“When this allegation was made, the figure was put at about R1bn. In the Zondo commission [into state capture], Ramaphosa openly admitted he did use money to buy the position but said it was not more than R1bn but was just over R300m,” Zuma said.