Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has set a target of achieving 50% representation of women in the sheriff profession, highlighting opportunities for greater participation, professional growth and leadership in the sector.
Kubayi was speaking at the South African Board for Sheriffs’ annual Women’s Day celebration at Sun City, outside Rustenburg.
The event, held under the theme “Balance the Scale: Give to Gain”, focused on recognising the contribution of women to the sheriff profession and the broader justice sector.
Women accounted for only about 10% of representation in the profession last year, highlighting a significant gap and potential for increased participation.
Kubayi said the department is working to increase the number of women appointed to the profession, with a target of reaching 50% female representation in the next appointments this year.
The move could create greater opportunities for women to build careers and businesses within the sheriff profession, while also strengthening the sector’s leadership pipeline.
The Minister emphasised that transformation should go beyond appointment numbers, saying women must also have opportunities to advance into leadership positions.
Training and development will be important in supporting this progression, enabling more women to develop the professional skills and experience needed to take on senior roles within the justice sector.
Kubayi also identified encroachment within the sheriff profession as one of the challenges facing the sector, highlighting the need to address issues that affect the effective functioning of the profession and the ability of sheriffs to perform their duties.
Her remarks come as South Africa marks 70 years since the historic 1956 Women’s March, with this year’s celebration reflecting on progress made in empowering women while acknowledging the work that remains.
The push for greater female representation could therefore have implications beyond gender transformation, potentially expanding economic participation, professional opportunities and leadership pathways for women within South Africa’s legal and justice services sector.
