From Umhlanga to Chatsworth, women carry the weight of work and care - IOL

More women may be occupying positions of power, but representation means little when their voices are ignored and their views are not taken seriously.

FROM the polished boardrooms of Umhlanga to the busy retail aisles of Chatsworth and the tight-knit family businesses of Lenasia, women are the steady force keeping workplaces moving. They are leading teams, managing households, caring for children and elders, and still showing up to work with a determination that is often overlooked.

Still, beneath this strength lies a quieter reality. Women are still dealing with inequalities that should have been left behind decades ago. As a human rights lawyer, I have seen how these disparities in treatment unfold not in dramatic moments, but in the ordinary experiences that chip away at women’s confidence, safety, and economic security.

While South Africa has one of the strongest legal frameworks in the world for gender equality, the everyday reality in the workplace for many women tells a different story.

One of the most lasting challenges is the gender pay gap. It is not a myth. Nor is it an artefact of the past. It is a stubborn reality that still shapes women’s financial futures.

In a CCMA matter I encountered last year, a woman working at a logistics company in Durban discovered she was earning R8 000 less per month than a male colleague doing the same job. Same qualifications. Same responsibilities. Same performance rating. When she raised the issue, she was told, “He’s the breadwinner.”

This is not just discriminatory. It is unlawful. The Employment Equity Act is clear: equal pay for work of equal value is a right, not a privilege. Yet many women still hesitate to question unfair pay, fearing retaliation or being labelled “difficult”.

For South African Indian women, workplace inequality regularly intersects with cultural expectations. I have met women who excel in their professions but still carry the emotional labour of being the “default caregiver” at home.

One young professional from Reservoir Hills told me she wakes up at 4am to prepare meals for her extended family before heading to work. Her male siblings, meanwhile, sleep in. These expectations don’t disappear when she arrives at the office.

They follow her into performance reviews, promotion discussions, and even salary negotiations. Employers may not say it outright, but assumptions about women’s “availability” or “commitment” commonly influence decisions behind closed doors.

Sexual harassment remains one of the most underreported workplace violations. In a case involving a retail store in Pietermaritzburg, a young woman was repeatedly subjected to inappropriate comments by her supervisor.

When she finally reported it, she was told to “just ignore him” because “he jokes like that with everyone”. This response is not only insensitive. It is unlawful. The Code of Good Practice on the Prevention and Elimination of Harassment requires employers to investigate complaints, take action, and protect victims from retaliation.

Yet many workplaces still treat harassment as a personality issue rather than a rights violation.

Pregnancy discrimination is another modern-day reality that refuses to disappear. Despite clear protections in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, many women still face unfair treatment when they choose to start families.

A woman in a Durban call centre was dismissed two weeks after informing her employer she was pregnant. The official reason was “operational requirements”, but the real reason was obvious. The CCMA reinstated her, but the emotional toll was immense.

As she related to me, “I felt punished for becoming a mother.” No woman should have to choose between motherhood and job security.

Gender-based violence also casts a broad shadow over the workplace. GBVF doesn’t only happen at home. It spills into workplaces in ways many people do not recognise. Women experiencing abuse often arrive at work exhausted, anxious, or injured.

They may miss shifts, struggle to concentrate, or face disciplinary action for absenteeism. The National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide calls on employers to establish supportive environments for survivors. Yet implementation remains uneven. Some companies have introduced counselling services and flexible leave policies, but many still treat GBVF as a “private matter”.

I have seen how supportive workplaces can change the trajectory of a survivor’s life. A simple act, such as allowing time off for court dates, can be the difference between well-being and continued harm.

Leadership representation is another area in which progress has been slow. South Africa often celebrates the number of women in leadership roles, but representation alone is not enough.

In many boardrooms, women are present but not empowered. They are expected to “fit in” and not challenge obsolete norms. A senior manager at a Durban manufacturing firm shared her experience of being the only woman in executive meetings. “They listen,” she said, “but they don’t hear.”

Her ideas were acknowledged but rarely implemented until a male colleague repeated them. This is not equality. It is tokenism.

To its credit, South Africa has introduced several important policy frameworks aimed at strengthening women’s rights in the workplace. The Gender-Responsive Budgeting Framework calls for government departments to allocate budgets that address gender inequality.

The country’s Sixth Periodic Report under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) highlights progress in labour law enforcement and GBVF response.

Amendments to the Employment Equity Act strengthen obligations for fair pay and representation. The GBVF National Strategic Plan calls for workplace-based interventions and survivor support. These policies matter, but they must move from paper to practice.

The truth is simple. Women are not asking for special treatment. They are asking for fairness. They are asking for workplaces where promotions are based on merit, not gender; where harassment is taken seriously; where pregnancy is not treated as an inconvenience; where pay reflects value, not stereotypes; and where leadership includes women’s voices, not just their presence.

As a lawyer, I have seen how transformative it is when workplaces commit to genuine equality. Productivity rises. Morale improves. Women thrive. When women thrive, families and communities thrive too.

From boardrooms to shop floors, women are carrying more than their job descriptions. They carry history, culture, expectations, and responsibilities that often go unseen. It’s time for employers, policymakers, and communities to recognise these realities and act with intention.

Equality is not a slogan. It is a daily practice. And until every woman in South Africa can walk into her workplace without fear, bias, or limitation, our work is not done.

Seshni Moodley is an admitted attorney, director of Seshni Moodley attorneys incorporated , with expertise in digital, civil and criminal law. She holds a Master's in human rights law and is currently pursuing her PhD in human rights law.

* The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or post.co.za