The combination of Cyril Ramaphosa as ANC president and Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu as his deputy has emerged as the most popular choice among ANC members.
This is according to a survey by Africa Insights, a Johannesburg think-tank, which also revealed that Ramaphosa was the preferred candidate for most of the party members polled. The organisation spoke to more than 1,600 party members.
The results of the survey come a week after Sisulu's name was included as Ramaphosa's deputy in a list circulated by his supporters. The Ramaphosa-Sisulu combination was supported by 47% of those polled versus 19% for a partnership of Sisulu and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.According to the results of the poll, Sisulu is the most popular woman candidate, with a 29 percentage-point lead over her closest rival, Dlamini-Zuma.
Africa Insight founder E Daniel Kinnear said he was surprised Sisulu was ahead of Dlamini-Zuma. He said controversial figures behind Dlamini-Zuma's campaign, such as ANC Women's League president Bathabile Dlamini, had dented her image.
Kinnear said the survey was conducted for use internally.
For a period of three months, participants were asked which woman candidate was best to lead the ANC and South Africa.
Dlamini-Zuma's support dropped from 28% on July 12 to 23% by August 11, while Sisulu, who had already registered an impressive lead, saw her support stretch from 45% to 52% in the same period.
The poll also revealed that ANC treasurer-general Zweli Mkhize's campaign has gained traction. Mkhize is understood to have support mainly in KwaZulu-Natal but has been quietly crisscrossing the country...