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By Vuyelwa Mahanyele, Executive Head: Energy & Transportation at Barloworld Equipment

The gender gap remains a consistent focus of discussion across private and public institutions, but when even the most educated of women still struggle to find employment – let alone have the chance to excel – something needs to change. We are seeing developments to shift these worrying societal conditions, yet there are exciting opportunities to accelerate change – if we all take the time to invest in them. 

We first need to understand the local context. Women in South Africa continue to shoulder a disproportionate burden of unemployment, underemployment, and a lack of representation at an executive level. In an examination of 10 years of data, Stats SA revealed that gender disparity in unemployment persists regardless of education level. 

“Women, irrespective of their educational background – consistently face higher unemployment rates compared to men.”  – Stats SA

Meanwhile, women comprise just 3% of chief executive positions at JSE-listed companies, and less than a third of top management positions at private companies. 

A multi-pronged approach to combat these statistics begins at the highest levels of government, and while we have robust policy, such as the National Gender Equality Framework and Employment Equity Act, we need more enabling legislation to build opportunities for women’s employability, growth, and development. A now seminal 2024 gender pay gap report from Catalytic Strategy pointed out a critical need for laws that standardise the measurement and reporting of the gap across all sectors. This is especially important for the recognition of unpaid work, which contributes significantly to the country’s Gross Domestic Product yet is rarely accounted for. The report also suggests amendments to the Employment Equity Act and Unfair Discrimination Act which are often implemented inconsistently because of occasional ambiguity. These will be the vital first steps in helping women to identify unfair pay and employment practices and to challenge them.

Naturally, the private sector must also introduce its own enabling policies, build a receptive culture, and place a keen focus on coaching and mentoring – particularly in sectors that have historically had minimal representation of women. Gender diversity should not be a compliance matter or window dressing exercise; that would be doing a big disservice to the women leaders who have immense value to add to their organisations. We must avoid simple lip service and commit to legitimate change through measurable Environmental, Social, and Governance strategies, with institutions held accountable when they fail to meet the metrics they set. This could be anything from Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion targets to internal policy indicating the need for a greater number of women on the board of directors. 

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And we, as the women who have already gained a strong foothold in our careers, have to pass down our knowledge to the young, rising stars within our industries. We must be candid about the state of our industries, explaining to the next generation of women leaders the good, bad, and ugly of their career paths, outlining the sacrifices, the scrutiny, and mistakes they will make even under the best possible guidance. But on the other end of this spectrum is the fulfilment, self-actualisation, and growth that makes it all worth it. I am proud to say I am a product of mentorship, coaching, and leadership programmes.

A diverse group of role models helped me address matters that aren’t always taught in formal education and provided a suitable space to unpack complex matters that I couldn’t always decipher through formal training: imposter syndrome, unconscious bias, and work-life balance. One essential tip I learned: learn the art of negotiation. Whether you use it to argue for better pay, find solutions within your team, or securing a favourable outcome for your institution, negotiation is invaluable. 

There are so many additional benefits to mentorship, like creating a network and leveraging your sponsors/coaches’ ability to connect you to opportunities – everything from projects to guiding you towards a promotion.

I want as many women as possible to experience this sense of achievement, whether as mentors or mentees, which means the public and private sectors, and us as individuals, must do our part to reverse these oft-reported gender disparity trends. Representation starts with the sheer will and resolve to make it a reality.

Vuyelwa Mahanyele, Executive Head: Energy & Transportation at Barloworld Equipment

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