As part of our Women’s Month coverage, the Electoral Commission is celebrating Women Championing Democracy: Paving the Way to the 2026 Local Government Elections. Earlier this week (Wednesday), the IEC hosted a special event to honour and reflect on the role of women in strengthening democracy. We will unpack various areas that impact women’s participation in electoral processes, both the challenges and successes, across different spheres, including representation in government, as we approach the 2026 local government elections.

The numbers tell a powerful story: women make up 55% of the 27.6 million registered voters, and in the 2024 general elections, 57% of those who turned out at the polls were women. Women also form the backbone of our electoral operations, constituting an impressive 73% of staff. Yet, despite this strong participation, women’s representation in Parliament stands at 43%, a slight decline from 46% after the 2019 elections. To share their insights with us, we are joined by…

Guest: Dr. Litlhare Rabele - Gender and governance expert of the Independent Electoral Commission

Guest: Ms Ntombifuthi Masinga - Provincial Electoral Officer of the Independent Electoral Commission in Kwa-Zulu Natal

Guest: Ms Sanusha Naidu - Foreign Policy Analyst and Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Global Dialogue