August is recognised as Women’s Month in commemoration of the 9th of August 1956 protest by more than 20 000 women across all races to the Union Building against the country’s pass laws. “Wathint'Abafazi Wathint'imbokodo! // You strike a woman, you strike a rock!” is the anthem of all women embracing their daily challenges as they relentlessly charge towards their goals and the pursuit of equality. 

Fast forward 61 years later, as we take a moment to highlight the representation of women at respective levels of management in the workplace. 

The Commission for Employment Equity (CEE) released its 17th annual Employment Equity Report which advises on matters concerning employment equity and implementation of the Employment Equity Act (the Act) towards achieving its objectives.  The CEE is a statutory body established in terms of the Act which is aimed at facilitating workplace transformation through the eradication of unfair discrimination and implementation of affirmative action steps to measure representation of the demographic composition of the South African society.

In its report, the CEE statistics reveal that women remain underrepresented at strategic decision making levels in the workplace which are dominated by male counterparts. Only 22% of females compared to 78% of males occupy top management positions while 33.3% occupy senior management level positions compared to 66.7% of males and 45.6% of women are professionally qualified compared to 54.4% of males.

Although great strides have been taken towards the achievement of equality in the workplace, the statics reveal the reality of the modern working woman and the slow pace of transformation in the workplace. A range of barriers including outdated social norms and gender stereotypes contribute to this reality and these inhibit equal opportunities for advancement and career progression while resulting in unequal terms and conditions of work.

We wish all working women who continue to strive ahead and live up to the August 1956 legacy of courageous women a happy Women’s Month. Should you experience any discriminatory behaviour in the workplace, it may be prudent to consult with a labour specialist who’d be able to advise you on your various rights and options.