Beyond the glass ceiling: Women in eThekwini Municipality are reshaping leadership

Across South Africa and around the world, women continue to navigate landscapes marked by systemic barriers, unconscious bias, and entrenched stereotypes.

Whether in boardrooms, council chambers, classrooms, or construction sites, the journey to recognition and representation remains an uphill for many.

This Women’s Month, we honour the boldness, resilience, and impact of women who refuse to be confined by these limitations. We celebrate those who rise, not just for themselves, but for others. And in doing so, we reflect on the work that still lies ahead.

At eThekwini Municipality, we are proud to be part of this movement for change. While the journey is ongoing, we acknowledge the strides we have made in transforming the status quo, particularly in addressing gender imbalances in our workforce and leadership structures. Years ago, women were scarcely represented in senior management roles within the municipality.

Today, we are seeing a steady, albeit modest, increase in the number of women occupying strategic positions. Currently, approximately 688 female employees hold management roles ranging from middle to top management, specifically within task grades 14 to 25. This progress is no accident.

It is the result of deliberate policies, targeted programmes, and a growing institutional commitment to employment equity.

The Corporate Services Department is entrusted with the wellbeing of the entire municipal workforce. This includes ensuring fair representation, promoting diversity, and cultivating an environment where every employee, regardless of gender, can thrive.

Our Employment Equity Plan is central to this effort, guiding recruitment, promotion,and development practices that are inclusive and transformative.We have implemented a range of programmes aimed at empowering women bothinternally and externally.

From leadership development workshops and mentorship initiatives to targeted training in male-dominated fields, we are creating pathways for growth. Our internal campaigns encourage young female employees to pursue careers in engineering, ICT, and other traditionally male-dominated sectors. We also partner with academic institutions and private sector organisations to offer bursaries, internships, and skills development opportunities for women.

Beyond the workplace, our commitment extends to economic empowerment. Through our business development programmes, we support women entrepreneurs with training, access to funding, and market linkages. We proudly collaborate with sister cities and international organisations to facilitate learning exchanges, enabling women from eThekwini to engage with global best practices and return with fresh perspectives and renewed confidence.

One of our most impactful initiatives is the mentorship programme that pairs senior women leaders with junior female staff. This is more than professional development, it’s about building a culture of solidarity, where women uplift one another and create space for others to rise. As the saying goes, “When women support each other, incredible things happen.”

We also recognise the importance of addressing unconscious bias in hiring and promotion. Through awareness campaigns and policy reviews, we are working to dismantle the subtle yet powerful barriers that hinder women’s advancement. We are fostering a culture where leadership is defined by competence, not gender.

Of course, challenges remain. The pace of change is not as swift as we would like and the representation of women in top management is still disproportionately low.

But we are not discouraged, we are motivated. Because every woman who steps into a leadership role is not just occupying a seat; she is opening the door for others.

As a woman in top management at the municipality, I am acutely aware of both the privilege and the responsibility that comes with this position. I do not stand alone; I stand on the shoulders of many women who came before me. And I am committed to ensuring that others will stand on mine, building on what we have achieved.

This Women’s Month and beyond, eThekwini Municipality recommits to building workplaces that reflect the diversity of our society. We will continue to challenge the norms that limit women’s potential. We believe that empowering women is not just amoral imperative, it is a strategic one. Because when women lead, communities thrive, economies grow, and institutions transform.

The future is not something we wait for; it is something we build. And at eThekwini Municipality, we are building it with women at the centre.

| Makhathini is Executive Director: Corporate Services at eThekwini Municipality