By Celani Sikhakhane
The former minister of international relations and cooperation, Dr Naledi Pandor, says she now regrets her decision to decline the nomination for deputy president offered at the ANC conference at Nasrec in 2017.
She blames comrades who advised her not to accept the nomination after President Cyril Ramaphosa asked her to be his running mate.
Pandor shared this regret during her “exit” interview with the Sunday Times.
Initially, she said she was asked to be the presidential candidate ahead of the important Nasrec conference. She surprised her supporters by rejecting the plan during a dinner meeting where her name was to be officially endorsed.
Later, when Ramaphosa asked her to be part of his team, she agreed but then declined the nomination at the conference.
The 2017 conference saw the end of former president Jacob Zuma’s time as ANC president. Zuma had already nominated his ex-wife, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, for the position.
Pandor said she wishes she had allowed the branches to vote.
“I think it was bad advice from certain comrades. I like to be active and involved. I thought being deputy president would keep me in the office, away from the work I enjoy,” she said.
“But I should have let it go to a vote because there were regions that supported me. I was wrong to withdraw.”
She remembered a delegate confronting her after she declined the nomination, saying they were disappointed as they had come to the conference to vote for her.
Former Mpumalanga premier David Mabuza was elected to the post.
Pandor retired from Parliament after the 29 May general elections.
Pictured above: Former Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Dr Naledi Pandor regrets declining to run for ANC deputy president at Nasrec.
Source: X
