Lindiwe Sisulu, daughter of South African anti-apartheid hero Walter Sisulu and a close family friend to Azimio Movement leader Raila Odinga has launched a campaign to oust South African President Cyril Ramaphosa as head of her country’s ruling party ahead of a December conference where the African National Congress (ANC) will be voting on new party leaders.
Sisulu, the current Tourism Minister has criticized South African top judges, describing them as ”mentally colonized” and not being able to do enough to address legacies of her country’s apartheid, including poverty and land equality.
Last year, while holding the Human Settlement, Water and Sanitation docket, Sisulu was hosted by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and his wife Ida Odinga in their Kisumu home. The minister was in Kenya for the Madaraka Day celebrations.
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The 67-year-old has been a member of parliament since the end of apartheid and has held several ministerial portfolios. She was President Ramaphosa’s running mate at the 2017 party conference where he narrowly defeated Zuma’s ex-wife Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, whom the former president had backed.
Sisulu was married to the deceased Kenyan-born Professor Rok Ajulu.
During her Madaraka Day speech, Sisulu erroneously referred to Odinga as a president before quickly correcting herself.
“I would like to thank my brothers in struggle President Raila Odinga (crowd shouts)…Prime Minister Raila Odinga, President Uhuru Kenyatta for the joy they have given my president, Cyril Ramaphosa, to be represented on this day in Kisumu,” she said.
The South African Tourism Minister’s contentious opinion piece ’Hi Mzansi, have we seen justice?’, criticising South Africa’s Constitution and Judiciary is believed to be her clear launch pad into the race for the party’s presidency which will culminate at the 55th national conference in December.
