Concerns over declining representation of women in local government

As South Africa marks Women's Month and prepares for the 2026 Local Government Elections, concerns are mounting over the declining representation of women in local government.

The Commission for Gender Equality says progress made over the years is under threat, with the proportion of women councillors falling from 41 percent in the 2016 municipal elections to 37 percent in 2021.

The Commission attributes part of this decline to what it describes as the increasingly toxic nature of political participation, which continues to discourage many women from entering and remaining in politics.

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