Opinion| The unfinished project of gender equality in SA politics

South Africa frequently receives praise for its progress in women's political representation since the advent of democracy in 1994. However, the reality is more nuanced. While the country has made significant strides in placing women in political offices, it has not yet succeeded in dismantling the patriarchal power structures that pervade political institutions.

Women are increasingly present in legislatures, yet they remain largely absent from key positions of political authority. They form the majority of voters but not the majority of those who wield political power.

According to the Commission for Gender Equality's 2024 report, women are underrepresented in political leadership despite being the majority of voters. They accounted for just over 42% of candidates in the 2024 elections and approximately 43% of those elected to Parliament. This disparity is particularly stark at the local government level, where women's representation in municipal government fell from 41% in 2016 to 37% in the 2021 local government elections.

These trends challenge the notion of linear and irreversible democratic progress. They highlight the limitations of numerical indicators as measures of gender equality. While numerical representation is important, it does not necessarily translate into substantive representation, where women can influence political outcomes, shape policy agendas, and transform institutional cultures.

Political parties play a crucial role in either advancing or obstructing women's political representation. They determine who is selected as candidates, who receives campaign resources, and who advances into leadership positions. Despite public commitments to non-sexism and inclusion, many parties operate within cultures that privilege male leadership and reproduce patriarchal norms. Informal networks, patronage systems, incumbency advantages, and factional dynamics often benefit men more than women.

The uneven performance of political parties on gender representation suggests that progress is not automatic or inevitable. Parties that have adopted explicit gender quotas and parity measures have generally achieved greater success. This indicates that representation is not merely a reflection of societal change but the result of deliberate political choices. Political parties cannot claim commitment to gender equality while maintaining leadership structures that concentrate power in male hands.