Female voters could hold a crucial key to South Africa’s political future as parties prepare for the 4 November 2026 Local Government Elections.
New research suggests women remain an important electoral advantage for the ANC, despite declining support for the party.
It also points to what rival parties must do to win more women.
The findings come from the Institute of Race Relations’ 2026 polling report, which examines six years of polling from 2021 to 2026. The research tracks changing political preferences among women during a period of growing competition between political parties.
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY ABOUT FEMALE VOTERS?
The polling shows a clear gender gap in support for the ANC. In 2026, the party led the DA by 11 percentage points among women. Support stood at 37% for the ANC and 26% for the DA.
Among men, the difference was far smaller. The ANC attracted 27% support, compared with 26% for the DA.
The research also challenges simple explanations for this gap. Race, township residence, welfare preferences and satisfaction with government do not fully explain the difference.
Instead, the report points towards economic exposure and household security as stronger factors.
WHY DOES HOUSEHOLD SECURITY MATTER?
Economic insecurity appears more common among female voters. In 2026, 80% of women surveyed reported household incomes below R8,000 a month. The corresponding figure for men was 70%.
Yet women are not simply looking towards social grants. A striking 82% said government should focus more on creating jobs than providing social grants.
That creates an important political opening. Women appear to want greater economic opportunity while also placing significant weight on security for their households.
The IRR argues that parties therefore need to offer more than promises about economic growth, tax reform or competent government. They must show how those policies could improve jobs, education, healthcare, basic services and household security.
CAN FEMALE VOTERS CHANGE THE POLITICAL BALANCE?
The answer may depend on whether opposition parties can turn economic concerns into a credible political offer.
For three decades, the ANC has linked its political identity to expanding housing, electricity, water and other elements of the social floor. The IRR says female-headed households benefited from gains in several of these areas.
The polling cannot prove that these past gains directly cause women to support the ANC today. However, the pattern suggests that political credit may survive dissatisfaction with current government performance.
That helps explain why the ANC continues to perform better among women than men, even as its overall support has weakened.
The implications extend beyond the ANC. The Electoral Commission has confirmed 4 November 2026 as the Local Government Elections date.
With voters choosing the people who will oversee services closest to their homes, female voters could have considerable influence over the outcome.
For parties seeking to break the ANC’s electoral advantage, the message from the research is clear. Jobs matter, but so does the security that makes economic opportunity meaningful.
The party that can credibly connect the two could make significant gains among South Africa’s women.
