That’s the white woman in the back waving in a photograph accompanying a story in the New York Times today about the launch on Dec 16 of the new South African political party, the Congress of the People. When the picture was taken, Odendaal had been named (I don’t think there was an election) one of the deputy presidents of COPE, as the new party is known.
BagNewsNotes hardly cares for South African politics, but it would have been interesting to see his analysis of the picture (the placement, the wave, the way her wave looks like she is blessing Lekota, or praying for him, the way race plays out in the picture, etc), but that’s not my preoccupation here.
[Mosiua Lekota, in front with the tie, was named party leader and Sam Shilowa (partly obscured behind the guy with the red cap on the left) was named the other deputy leader.
Anyway, I imagine people want to know who Odendaal is since Lekota and Shilowa are old faces of South African politics. Odendaal definitely forms part of COPE’s boldface attempt to mask its leaders’ own political history (Lekota and Shilowa served under Mbeki) by tapping into new-South Africa-speak (see this video, especially, the almost religious singing at the end).
Lekota said of Odendaal: “She has no political profile, but it will be built.” Sadly, as usual, the South African media does not help. Instead most of them are running a wire service story (by SAPA or the South African Press Association). You can read that story, which apart from a few biographical details, does not say much about her politics here.
BTW, is Odendaal COPE’s answer to Helen Zille?
So this was the first site I clicked on to visit when I perused the page of Google results after I searched the phrase “Who is Lynda Odendaal?” So, ja – hallo Sean!
BTW: How DOES race “play out” in this photograph? And how does the “playing out” differ from what happens in another photograph taken at the same event, featured on page 5 of today’s “Cape Times” (17 Dec 08): From left to right: Shilowa, Lekota and Odendaal, a radiant trio, the right hands of the men aloft in the air, waving at the crowd; Lekota’s left arm around Odendaal’s waist; her arms are down but she has a determined look on her face, while Lekota looks utterly ebullient. How does race “play out” here? And gender? For instance: Will white, right-wing, heterosexist men hate Lekota for having an “Arian trophy” on his side, under his thumb? Will black, hedonist, heterosexist men envy his “blonde babe”? Which will be worse? What if Odendaal turns out to be the Superwoman of post-apartheid SA politics? What if she doesn’t? Whatever happens, you cannot but love South Africa.
Peace,
Waldo
The name “Sarah Palin” involuntarily springs to mind.
Boer in Ballingskap, that was exactly what a friend suggested this morning given Lekota’s my thought this morning that her “political profile” will still “be built.” We’ll see if they keep her away from the media and the comparison will stand if she turns out to have no clue about politics or can’t articulate COPE’s policy positions (which I doubt they have any that differ from the ANC). In any case, my hunch is policy positions won’t determine who votes for COPE. Zuma will.
Well, has everything come down to colour? Lynda is a driven, astute and highly principled person. I have no doubt that people will have an opinion of her, good or bad, but i say open your minds and give her a chance. God knows we nee an opposition party, if cope is the answer then i am behind them. I really would like to vote for a truly inclusive party. I think Lynda, and all of the parties executive will prove themselves over time. May our legacy to our children be an all inclusive non politicized country.
Lynda Oodendaal is a business woman who volunteered for COPE work. Her efforts were recognised and she was elected by consensus to the post she holds in COPE.
Lynda, like many COPE members has never been politically active and as such is an unknown in the political arena. Lynda is a mother as well.
http://twitter.com/electionsa COPE messenger on Twitter