Key Takeaways
- Thoko Didiza is gaining support as a potential candidate for the position of President of the African National Congress (ANC) in 2027.
- Didiza has the support of ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe and President Cyril Ramaphosa, although Mantashe has denied backing her.
- Didiza’s candidacy is considered serious, with her being introduced to key ANC funders and major businesses.
- She is expected to face competition from Deputy President Paul Mashatile and party Secretary General Fikile Mbalula.
- Didiza has a strong background in politics, having served in various roles including Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs and Minister of Public Works.
Introduction to Thoko Didiza’s Candidacy
The speaker of the National Assembly, Thoko Didiza, is quietly gaining support for the position of President of the African National Congress (ANC) come 2027. According to recent reports, Didiza has the support of ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe and President Cyril Ramaphosa, although Mantashe has denied backing her. Didiza’s candidacy is considered serious, with insiders revealing she’s been introduced to key ANC funders and major businesses. She is also believed to be supported by factions aligned with former President Thabo Mbeki, given that Didiza was one of the high-ranking officials to have resigned after Mbeki was recalled.
Didiza’s Background and Experience
Didiza was born in Durban in 1965 and attended Ohlange School in Inanda, where she met future Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo, her political mentor. Although she had no tertiary education during apartheid, she later earned a BA and Honours in politics from UNISA and a Master’s in tertiary education management from the University of Melbourne. Didiza began her career as a legal secretary before joining the Diakonia Ecumenical Church Agency, through which she entered politics. She was active in the ANC underground, the Natal Women’s Organisation, the YWCA, and the South African Council of Churches. Didiza helped repatriate exiles during apartheid and served as the first secretary-general of the Women’s National Coalition.
Didiza’s Rise to Prominence
Didiza joined the ANC Youth League and was nominated as an ANC candidate in South Africa’s first post-apartheid elections in 1994. That same year, Nelson Mandela appointed Didiza as Deputy Minister of Agriculture, where she served until 1999. A political ally of Mandela’s successor, President Thabo Mbeki, she rose to prominence within Mbeki’s cabinet. Didiza served as Minister of Agriculture and Land Affairs from June 1999 to May 2006, and then as Minister of Public Works from May 2006 to September 2008. She was one of several ministers who resigned following Mbeki’s recall by the ANC in September 2008. After a break from frontline politics between 2008 and 2014, Didiza returned to Parliament as a house chairperson in the National Assembly, serving throughout the fifth democratic Parliament.
Current Developments and Competition
Didiza rejoined the cabinet in 2019 as Minister of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development under Ramaphosa, and following the 2024 general election, she was elected Speaker of the National Assembly. While Ramaphosa is reported to have initially favored his close ally, Senzo Mchunu, as his successor, allegations against him have dashed that hope, though some KwaZulu-Natal leaders suggest it is premature to decide. Didiza is expected to go head-to-head with Deputy President Paul Mashatile and party Secretary General Fikile Mbalula. Mashatile is making inroads in his home province of Gauteng, the North West, as well as parts of Limpopo, while Mbalula is seeing gains in the Free State, Mpumalanga, and the Western Cape.
Conclusion and Future Prospects
The race for the ANC presidency in 2027 is expected to be fiercely contested, with Didiza, Mashatile, and Mbalula being the top contenders. Didiza’s strong background in politics, her experience in various roles, and her support from key ANC leaders make her a serious candidate. However, the outcome of the election will depend on various factors, including the party’s goals, the required skills, and the collective effort of the party’s leadership. As Didiza herself noted, leadership is a collective effort, not an individual decision, and the party decides based on the current situation and required skills. The 2027 ANC presidential election will be an important event in South African politics, and it will be interesting to see how the contest unfolds.