The struggle for gender equality in South Africa: women in leadership

Approximately three decades ago, women were not permitted to vote or to work, and three decades later, our gender disparities continue to persist in a country that advocates equality, fair play, and equal opportunity without prejudice and racism.

Although female representation in parliament has increased tremendously since 1994, there are still significant challenges that women within the formal economy experience. For instance, female representation has been evident in parliament, and in 2019, approximately half of our political cabinet comprised women. However, between 2019 and 2024, the number of women in influential political positions decreased.

Unfortunately, decision-making positions such as mayors and municipal councillors in South Africa still remain male-dominated. The 2021 municipal elections in South Africa indicated that women occupy only 37% of positions, whereas in 2016, the statistics indicated an over 40% representation.

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA), in a report compiled in 2022, revealed that women occupied 32% of mayoral positions and 30% of positions in senior management. The Eastern Cape and the Free State municipalities have a higher female representation than the Western Cape, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo. Within the Ethekwini municipality, a recent report indicated that senior management positions are still occupied by men, and one could argue that perhaps a higher number of female representations is needed for the municipality to be more effective and efficient amidst continual municipal service dissatisfaction.

The statistics within the private and corporate sectors are very similar. The number of men employed in top executive roles is far greater than the number of women occupying these positions.

Structural barriers still persist, and there have been limitations or glass ceilings identified as the gatekeepers as to why women, in particular, cannot ascend to the highest level of political influence. The numerous structural barriers can be detrimental to the development of women’s leadership to meet global sustainable development goals.

Other African countries, such as Rwanda, have managed to develop parliamentary cohorts that comprise 60% women. South Africa, too, at present, has indicated a more than 40% female membership within government spaces.

Deep-seated patriarchal beliefs and traditional gender roles continue to shape the lifeways and values of people in our society. Many believe that a woman cannot give of herself completely to the workforce because of her innate nurturing personality and child-rearing responsibilities, which should take precedence.

This does instil notions of doubt in women’s leadership and limits the faith and trust that one would have in a female leader. Today, many persist in having more trust in a male leader than in a female leader. Female leaders often have to continually prove themselves before they garner the faith and trust of their communities. Similarly, women are still experiencing biases and discrimination in the workplace.

Many sectors still pay women less than their male counterparts and experience the ‘glass ceiling’ syndrome, which prohibits them from joining executive and senior management portfolios.

Women often have to be the primary caregivers for their families, and this can be in direct conflict with the demands of occupying a senior leadership position, which may involve extended hours at work, meetings, and travel away from work.

Amidst all of the above-mentioned structural barriers, a very central barrier is the lack of mentorship and leadership development initiatives that women can access and benefit from. The HERS-SA organisation is a non-profit body with a specialised focus on developing female leaders and enhancing their existing leadership skills through workshops, engagements, and leadership education.

The main objective of the organisation is to upskill and train female leaders so that far more women can occupy positions of influence and power at senior management level across both public and private sectors.

HERS-SA meets its objectives through actions such as professional development workshops, networking and research collaboration opportunities, and coaching and mentorship programmes. The primary focus is to engage women employed within higher educational institutions in South Africa.

During the month of August 2025, the professional development conference known as the Leadership Academy by HERS-SA was hosted in Cape Town and focused on numerous concepts and approaches to leadership development. As a conference delegate this week, amidst a room full of women leaders from almost every university in South Africa, I have learnt the importance of identifying my leadership style and becoming more mindful of how I plan to lead, and how leadership can be enhanced through various leadership styles.

Leaders choose to be negotiators and decision-makers, and the challenge lies in deciding which cap to wear at different junctures. Managers and leaders need to be fully aware and understand their personalities in relation to the multiple leadership approaches they adopt, and also have the capacity to determine when to put their personal viewpoints aside for the betterment of the objective.

This year’s themes include artificial intelligence and its varying capacity to evolve leaders in higher education in South Africa. 

The HERS-SA is guided by a human rights lawyer as its chairperson, Dr Soraya Beukes. The organisation extends to greater Africa and the United States of America.

Present at this year’s South Africa conference is Prof. Dionne Rosser-Mims, the Vice Chancellor of Troy University, Alabama, USA. Her address underscored the importance of women’s leadership and understanding the type of leader you are as a person. She stressed the importance of collaboration in times of difficulty and encouraged us to engage in exercises that stretched our problem-solving skills independently and collectively.

The value and skill development that such organisations bring are the keys to breaking one of the many barriers that hinder women from progressing and succeeding in senior management positions and can certainly close the gap. Collectively, South Africans need to support the progression of women in key positions so that municipalities and sectors within the private and public sectors are enhanced for the betterment of society.

Women, too, have the capacity to contribute and build policies for the betterment of our society. “Women are the real architects of society.” – Harriet Beecher Stowe.

*The opinions expressed in this article does not necessarily reflect the views of the newspaper.

DAILY NEWS