‘I would love Naledi Pandor as president’: Simphiwe Dana sparks debate

Singer and activist Simphiwe Dana believes international relations and co-operation minister Naledi Pandor would make a good president.

Dana recently took to social media to put the spotlight on the minister, saying she had all the characteristics required of a good president.

Her remarks sparked debate on social media as coalition negotiations started this week, with some political parties calling for President Cyril Ramaphosa to step down after the ANC's dismal showing at the polls last week.

“I would love to have Naledi Pandor as president. She is fierce and displays a deep love for her country and for justice,” Dana said.

Her sentiments resonated with many across social media.

Those who echoed her sentiments believe Pandor, who has served as minister of international relations and co-operation since 2019, has built a reputation of strong leadership over the years.

Her tenure has been marked by significant diplomatic matters, including South Africa's recent genocide case against Israel.

Last December, Pandor led a South African delegation to file a lawsuit before the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The court ordered Israel to “take all measures within its power to prevent the commission of genocide” in Gaza and adopt “immediate and effective measures” to facilitate the provision of aid to the besieged enclave. 

The ruling, which was ignored, has seen ongoing legal proceedings by South Africa against Israel.

“All of us as humanity should be ashamed that 35,000 plus people have died and here we are sitting while more are killed. Maybe if we could find a way we should all go to Palestine and be a wall of protection of civilian people,” the minister said at the global anti-apartheid conference on Palestine in Sandton last month.

“There can never be peace if the Palestinian people are not free. We need to stress that there can be no solution to the situation for as long as the international community continues to ignore Israel's systematic human rights transgressions and settler colonial apartheid project and through it sustains the illegal Israeli colonial settler project at the cost of Palestinian liberation.” 

ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula this week said Ramaphosa would not step down after the party lost majority votes.

“Ramaphosa is the president of the ANC. If you [parties] come to us with a demand that Ramaphosa must stand down as president, that is not going to happen. No political party will dictate terms like that to the ANC. That is a no-go area,” he said.

Support for the international relations minister as a potential president grows as conversations about potential leaders continue on social media.

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