Four dimensions of presidential leadership in South Africa: From Mandela to Ramaphosa
Key information
- Date
- Time
-
12:00 pm
- Venue
- SOAS, University of London
- Room
- B204 (second floor, SOAS Gallery Building)
- Event type
- Seminar
About this event
How much do political leaders shape a country’s path? Anthony Butler explores presidential power and leadership in post-apartheid South Africa.
How much difference do political leaders make to the course of a country’s history? A president is expected to set the national agenda, offer moral leadership, and contend with the practical challenges of government. Butler’s new analytical approach reveals how South Africa’s recent presidents have attempted to define and realize their political projects amid multiple structural constraints.
About the Speaker
Anthony Butler is professor of political studies at the University of Cape Town. His research focuses on public policy analysis and contemporary South African politics. He is the author of a number of books, including The Idea of the ANC (Ohio University Press, 2012), Contemporary South Africa (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017) and the biography Cyril Ramaphosa (James Currey, 2019). His latest book, Presidential Power: Political leadership in post-apartheid South Africa was published by Jacana in November 2025.
Photo credit: Union Building, SA by Julia Gallagher
