Former International Relations and Cooperation Minister Naledi Pandor says she regrets declining the nomination for deputy president that was offered at the 54th ANC conference at NASREC in 2017.
She was picked by then Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa to be his running mate in the ANC presidential race. This move was seen as pressure on Ramaphosa to adhere to the gender equality policy of his party.
Lindiwe Nonceba Sisulu and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma campaigned for the presidency against Ramaphosa. However, Pandor declined the nomination, and former Deputy President David Mabuza was elected to the position.
Pandor reflected on her tenure as a foreign minister and ANC member in a sit down interview with Sunday Times's Lizeka Tandwa. She also revealed the importance for gender equality in roles.
'We had Dlamini-Zuma, but we have also had Sisulu and myself nominated but in the end I declined and I now regret doing that but anyway,' she said.
