Seventy years after 1956, women are still fighting for access to power

Seventy years have passed since over 20,000 women gathered in Pretoria to protest the extension of apartheid pass laws to women. Led by figures such as Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn, these women marched to present a petition to the government demanding childcare, housing, education, equal pay, and property rights.

While progress has been made with women now comprising 46% of South Africa’s economically active population, they still lag behind in senior corporate positions. As of 2025, women hold 38% of board seats and 27.4% of executive positions at JSE Top 40 companies, up from 35% and 25% in 2023, yet still falling short of equality. Only three out of the top 40 companies have a female chief executive, and six have a female board chair.

The World Economic Forum data reveals a global trend where women now outperform men in tertiary education but only make up 29.5% of tertiary-educated senior managers. For those featured in the report, advancement is about more than just representation; it’s about access. Experts differentiate between mentorship and sponsorship, emphasizing the latter’s importance.

Sponsorship involves championing someone’s name when they’re absent, assigning them tasks that showcase their abilities, and using one’s credibility to support them. BDO South Africa’s CEO, Bonga Mokoena, sees the 70th anniversary of the Women’s March as a call to action, urging individuals to leverage their influence, sponsorship, and opportunities to empower others and build resilient economies for all.