Leadership and gender in Eswatini: Swati politics through the prism of Gelane Simelane Zwane, 1990–2018

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article examines the history of female leadership in contemporary Eswatini politics through the prism of Gelane Simelane Zwane as a neglected aspect of scholarship. Gelane Simelane Zwane doubled as the longest-serving female Chief of Kontshingila village and Senate President of Eswatini in recent history. This article is premised on the fact that Zwane’s leadership odyssey was shaped by the intersection of gender and culture. A qualitative methodology, involving the use of newspapers, court documents, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, was employed in this study. The study reveals that, within the context of a patriarchal society, Zwane was able to shatter the ‘glass ceiling’ and attain political prominence in Eswatini. Consequently, she became an easy target for attacks in her enviable leadership positions that were traditionally occupied by males. She successfully navigated the slippery patriarchal terrain for decades until she was finally neutralised in a labyrinth of intractable Eswatini culture and tradition following the death of her husband in 2018.