‘I don’t feel overshadowed, I’m strong enough to be a leader,’ says KZN premier

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Premier, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, has refuted claims that she was overshadowed by ANC KZN chairperson, Sboniso Duma, during the KZN leg of the Springbok’s victory tour.

The Durban leg of the tour has been marred by controversy following claims of misogyny after Duma was seen to grab and hoist the Rugby World Cup in celebration along with Springboks player Eben Etzebeth. This despite the announcer having asked Dube-Ncube to step forward for a photo moment of the trophy with Etzebeth.

Dube-Ncube and Duma were part of a government delegation that welcomed the Rugby World Cup champions to KwaZulu-Natal.

The Boks have been touring the country as part of celebrations after winning for the second time in a row.

When asked for her view on the matter, the Premier said she doesn’t believe that she was overshadowed.

Political party reactions

The ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) has since slammed Duma over the incident – labelling it as blatant sexism, adding that he has repeatedly undermined Dube-Ncube’s authority and leadership.

In a statement, the league says Duma’s actions were an overt betrayal of the principles of non-sexism and gender equality, which are fundamental to the governing ANC’s ideology.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) also weighed in on the issue, describing Duma as a “persistent” bully who undermined Dube-Ncube.

Meanwhile, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal has rejected the narrative that Duma was undermining the Premier as false.

ANC Provincial Secretary, Bheki Mtolo, says the video that has been circulating on social media has been manipulated.

He believes that the ANC Women’s League should’ve approached him to get clarity on the situation.

Mtolo says the backlash is not only an attack on Duma, but the entire ANC in KwaZulu-Natal.

Other politicians also weighed in on the incident.

It’s been a trend, consistently!
Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube has a Shadow Premier 🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️🤦🏾‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/wpedxRYt28

— Mkhuleko Hlengwa MP (@MkhulekoHlengwa) November 7, 2023

South Africans also added their voice on social media.

I love how they make it about the trophy, when ANCWL addressed a continued undermining of the premier by Duma. They can’t provide rubbish statements for the other instances Duma undermined Nomusa. The SG must intervene. It was cheap of them to ask Nomusa to write that, if she did https://t.co/n1233S5qY1

— Bulelani Thamsanqa (@BT_Sidyani) November 7, 2023

What was Duma doing there in the first place. Where was the MEC for sports to be the one helping with lifting the trophy if Nomusa was too short to lift it.

— Joe (@JoeFerg58678029) November 7, 2023