Women now make up the majority of voters in South Africa. Of the 27.7 million voters expected to cast their votes on May 29, 15 million are women.
Around 3 million more women than men are expected to vote in the next election, as 55% of registered voters are women.
A similar situation was seen in the 2019 national and local elections (NPE), where 55% of registered voters were women and only 45% were men.
Women made up 57% of all registered voters compared to 43% of men, indicating that women's turnout was significantly higher than men.
Voter registration breakdown | |||||
woman | male | total | % woman | % male | |
2004 | 20 674 926 | 55% | 45% | ||
2009 | 23,181,99 | 55% | 45% | ||
2014 | 13 938 303 | 11 451 847 | 25 390 150 | 56% | 44% |
2019 | 14 706 701 | 12 029 947 | 26 736 648 | 55% | 45% |
2024 | 15 285 301 | 12 382 086 | 27 667 387 | 55% | 45% |
Source: IEC
Even though women are a very important demographic, we don't see enough women rising to the top positions of political power in this country.
Thirty years have passed since South Africa became a democracy, but despite high female voter participation rates, the country has yet to have a democratically elected female president.
The Election Commission (IEC) has issued certificates to 14,889 candidates seeking election to public office who will contest 887 seats in the upcoming elections. Seventy political parties and 11 independent candidates were announced as finalists in these elections.
Regarding gender expression, the list of candidates reflects:
- 58.14% or 8,658 candidates are male.
- The number of female candidates is 41.86% or 6,234.
Regarding political parties:
- Fifteen political parties have more than 50% female members.
- Seven political parties achieved 40%, and a further 14 parties have 30% female representation on their lists.
As for the independents:
Only two women made it to the shortlist:
Anele Mda – A social and gender activist, she became one of the country's youngest Members of Parliament (MP) in 2009. She was a founding member of COPE and a former ANC Youth League member.
Faith Ntakazeni Fatela – He is a community activist, religious leader, auditor, and chairman of Africa Break The Silence, a group focused on empowering young people to make better life choices and fighting the HIV epidemic.
In terms of the political parties currently represented in Parliament, not a single major party in South Africa's political landscape has elected a woman to stand in the 2024 presidential election. All five major political parties in the last election (ANC, DA, EFF, IFP, FF+) had male candidates running for president.
Of the 14 political parties represented in South Africa's sixth parliament, only GOOD, led by Patricia de Lille, and the National Freedom Party (NFP), led by the late Zanele Ka Magwaza-Msibi, have female leaders. Unfortunately, Ka Magwaza Msibi passed away in 2021. Meanwhile, De Lille, one of the first women to lead a political party in parliament in democratic South Africa, is still vying for a seat in the next election.
Most of the political parties participating in national and local elections for the first time are led by men, including Action SA, MK Party, Build One SA and Rise Mzansi.
The South African Rainbow Alliance (SARA) is one of the few notable new political parties headed by a woman. The party is led by former Joburg City Council leader and COPE member Colleen Makhubele.
Although South Africa has made great strides in women's empowerment and gender representation in government and parliament, the idea of a female president is becoming increasingly elusive.
South African female politician | ||||
2004 | 2009 | 2014 | 2019 | |
Women Members of Parliament (NA) | 33% | 43% | 40% | 46% |
Women members of NCOP | 41% | 30% | 28% | 36% |
Female MPL | 30% | 41% | 37% | 46% |
minister women | 42% | 41% | 41% | 50% |
female deputy minister | 60% | 39% | 44% | 46% |
female prime minister | 44% | 55% | twenty two% | twenty two% |
female voters | 55% | 55% | 56% | 55% |
Source: Genderlink
Women face numerous obstacles that prevent them from breaking through the glass walls of politics, including patriarchy, harassment, and discrimination.
According to a survey conducted by Afrobarometer In 2023, most Americans (81%) say women should have the same chance as men to be elected to political office. However, six in 10 (59%) believe that women who run for public office will be criticized, vilified or harassed by others in their community.
Given the dynamics outlined above, it is highly unlikely that South Africa will have a female president anytime soon.
Zinjiswa Mani is with SABC News and Current Affairs