It was not a good idea for Western Cape Premier Helen Zille to behave as if she was going to secede from South Africa, African National Congress (ANC) chairperson Baleka Mbete said on Wednesday night.

"Premier Zille is also participating in the government lekgotla. So it has finally sunk into her head that behaving like you are going to secede from this beautiful South Africa is not a good idea," Mbete said.

Mbete was speaking at a National African Federation Chamber of Commerce and ANC Womens League gala dinner at the Klipriviersberg nature reserve, south of Johannesburg.

"We must also use this opportunity to congratulate her for being one of the five women Premiers but hope that she might want to rethink the Cabinet."

Zille has come under fire recently for appointing an all-male Cabinet to run the province.

Mbete said women had experienced many achievements in the last fifteen years since democracy.

"We are beyond tokenism where women are just taken along to score points.

"We are also beyond stereotyping where women are confined to cleaning and catering - nothing wrong with that - [but] those are the traditional areas where women are expected to be in."

Mbete said that while women held powerful positions, such as in the Cabinet, there was still some way to go.

"The distance ahead of us in this marathon is still long. We will need muscles made out of steel and stamina of a horse.

"We are already in the right direction."

Mbete said the fact that there was a new Ministry dedicated to women, as well as youth, children and the disabled, was an indication of this.

The Minister in charge, Noluthando Mayende-Sibiya, was a "strong woman with warrior credentials," said Mbete.

The ANC chairperson was a stand-in for President Jacob Zuma who had been expected to address the gala dinner.

"He is currently engaging in the processes of the Cabinet legotkla," said Mbete.

Several Cabinet Ministers who were expected to act as "hosts" also could not attend for the same reason.

About 300 guests gathered at the glamorous dinner, among them former ANC spokesperson Carl Niehaus and his wife.

Guests were given a CD, inside which gives thanks to the ANC head of policy Jeff Radebe "for his outstanding contribution in helping selecting the best for the album and for always being there to make sure the production and recording of this album is of high standard."

One of the songs in the album is titled simply Zuma and another Khawuleza is described as "a remix tribute song to Mama Mariam Makeba."