Women’s inclusion critical ahead of LGE 2026 : DDP

The Democracy Development Programme (DDP) has called for the inclusion of women in political activities leading to the upcoming Local Government Elections. This call comes as South Africans prepare to cast their votes in the Local Government election on November 4. The DDP, a civil society organization focused on deepening democracy and promoting good governance, recently held a women's conference in Durban.

Mbalenhle Mkhize, the Development Officer for the DDP, emphasized the importance of women being given the power to make meaningful changes. She highlighted that the conference aimed to encourage all women from various political parties to come together and speak on how to transform local government. Mkhize stressed the need to transform the representation of women, both in terms of numbers and by ensuring that key decisions can be taken by women in that space.

She specifically addressed the issue of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and the importance of addressing it within the community.