Women are still a small minority of skilled hands on South African sites, but the law, the funding and the support networks are all there to back you. If you are a woman on the tools or running your own firm, this guide covers your rights to fit PPE and proper sanitation, the protections against harassment, and where to find the development programmes and finance aimed squarely at you.
How many women are actually in the trade
Honest data is harder to find than you might think. A Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) referenced study put women's ownership of registered construction enterprises at around 48 percent, but that figure conflates enterprise registration with who is actually on site swinging a hammer. The CIDB register skews toward smaller grades, so the headline number flatters the reality. Research from the University of Johannesburg points to real, ongoing barriers for female contractors, and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure's Empowerment and Recognition of Women in Construction (ERWIC) programme openly accepts that women remain badly under-represented in skilled trades and supervisory roles.
The takeaway: do not be put off by the small numbers. The structures to support you exist and are actively looking for women to back.
Your rights at work
The Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998 (EEA) requires designated employers to submit employment equity plans aimed at fair representation of women across every occupational level, including artisan and professional grades. As at 2026 a designated employer is defined by headcount only: 50 or more employees. The old test that also pulled in smaller firms above a turnover threshold was repealed with effect from 1 January 2025, so turnover no longer makes a small firm a designated employer. Employers who must comply but do not can face fines. Thresholds and penalties get revised from time to time, so confirm the current position with the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL).
Harassment is unlawful. The EEA and the Code of Good Practice on the Handling of Sexual Harassment Cases give you protections, and the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) and the Labour Court provide remedies if you are harassed on a site or in a workplace.
Sanitation and PPE: not minor issues
- Toilets and washing facilities. The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) Construction Regulations require adequate toilet and washing facilities. Where women work on a site, separate, lockable facilities must be provided. Enforcement is inconsistent in practice, so raise it early and in writing if a site falls short.
- PPE that actually fits. Standard issue personal protective equipment was historically cut for male body shapes. A loose harness, an oversized hard hat or gloves you cannot grip in are a genuine safety risk, not a comfort niggle. Insist on correctly fitted PPE, and treat a refusal to provide it as the safety failure it is.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the harassment code does not apply to small sites. It applies wherever there is an employment relationship. Document incidents and take them to the CCMA if needed.
- Accepting ill-fitting PPE to avoid making a fuss. Wrong-sized fall protection can kill you. A fitted harness is your right.
- Missing the funding aimed at women. Skills levies and bursaries specifically target women in construction. Not applying leaves money on the table.
- Believing the 48 percent ownership figure means the field is level. It does not. The barriers are real, which is exactly why the support programmes exist.
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