The Gender Gap in Political Leadership Ends Here: Futurelect Calls Women to the Frontlines of Political Power ahead of Local Elections in 2026

In South Africa, women and youth remain underrepresented in local government leadership. According to the latest data from Statistics South Africa, women held only 39% of senior-level municipal positions in 2021, with 25 out of 257 municipalities meeting the 50% gender parity target outlined in the Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Bill.

Youth participation is equally concerning. Despite making up most of the population, youth voter registration has declined significantly. In the 2021 local government elections, only 15% of 18-19-year-olds were registered to vote, down from 30% in 2005.

Futurelect’s Women in Public Office, South Africa Programme works to address these disparities, targeting women political leaders aged 18-45 across all nine provinces. The five-month nonpartisan leadership development programme aims to equip aspiring women political leaders with the skills, networks, resilience and support needed to run successfully in the 2026/7 local government elections.

The programme specifically addresses gender-specific challenges women face in politics, such as limited access to funding, safety concerns, and systemic biases. The recently launched "Cost of Politics" Report by Dr Victoria Ann Hasson and Futurelect, in collaboration with Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) and the EU-funded WYDE Civic Engagement project led by the European Partnership for Democracy (EPD), highlights that campaign expenditures can range from R17,000 to R1 million, with a median spend of R50,000, posing significant barriers for many women.

By building a new generation of ethical and effective women political leaders, Futurelect's programme seeks to bridge the representation gap and promote inclusive governance, supporting new women leaders to run successfully, lead with integrity, and hold these positions. Applications are open until 27 June 2025. 

For more information contact Shaunei Gerber, Head of Marketing and Communications at Futurelect, shaunei@futurelect.org or visit www.futurelect.org. 

About Futurelect

Futurelect, founded in 2018 in Johannesburg, is a non-profit organisation focused on transforming African political and government leadership. We empower young, ethical leaders with the skills to serve communities responsibly and with integrity. Our non-partisan programmes develop diverse, skilled political leaders, primarily targeting African women aged 18-45 pursuing or aspiring to leadership roles in politics and public office. We also offer a free online Civic Education Programme in South Africa, providing nonpartisan courses on democracy and governance for South Africans aged 16-34.