Reconfiguring Patriarchy: Gender, Work, and Church Leadership in Post-apartheid South Africa
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: South Africa’s shift to democracy in 1994 significantly altered the legal status of women via constitutional equality, employment equity laws, and initiatives aimed at eradicating the racial and gender disparities left by apartheid. Nonetheless, formal equality has not eradicated gender-based imbalances in employment or women’s unequal access to institutional power. This article explores the continuation of gender disparity in paid employment and Christian church leadership in South Africa after apartheid. Utilising feminist and intersectional viewpoints, the research conducts a qualitative analysis of academic literature, legislative texts, governmental reports, and policy documents, thematically examined through the lenses of gender, race, labour, institutional power, and religious guidance. The article contends that legal change has been more far-reaching than changes in institutions and culture. Patriarchal practices have been restructured instead of removed, resulting in ongoing disparities in job mobility, pay, leadership, and access to decision-making. These inequalities cannot be comprehended through gender alone: Black women’s experiences are influenced by the intersection of gender with race, class, and historically established forms of labour stratification. The article additionally posits that Christian organisations serve as significant venues where gendered power is both reinforced and challenged. Instead of viewing churches as uniform entities, it emphasises diversity in theological backgrounds and the chances for women to take on leadership roles. The article illustrates the constraints of formal equality by integrating workplace and religious authority into a single analytical framework, while highlighting how institutional practices and cultural perceptions of gender remain profoundly rooted in post-apartheid South Africa.
Source: F1000Research
Institution: University of Venda
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,350
OpenAlex ID: W7225229852