South Africa’s water sector does not only face a shortage of technical skills; it also faces an equally important mentorship gap that risks preventing qualified young professionals, particularly women, from turning their qualifications into the practical expertise and leadership experience the sector urgently needs.

From qualifications to competence

According to Dr Lester Goldman, CEO of the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA), many women enter the water sector with strong academic qualifications but struggle to access the practical opportunities that build confidence, competence and career progression.

“The real gap is between theory and practice, being trusted with responsibility, being included in projects, and having someone to guide you through those first steps,” says Goldman.

Women are already making up a significant part of the water profession. Women currently account for 35% of active WISA members, with 27% of WISA’s female members classified as young professionals. Among registered Professional Process Controllers, women account for 43% of the total, demonstrating that women are already entering and progressing within the profession.

The issue is particularly significant as South Africa grapples with ageing infrastructure, strained municipal capacity and the need for a new generation of professionals capable of managing increasingly complex water challenges.

At WISA’s recent 2026 Biennial Conference, held under the theme “Rethink Amanzi – Securing Our Future”, capacity building, professionalisation, collaboration and innovation were highlighted as essential to building a resilient water sector. Securing the country’s water future requires not only infrastructure investment, but capable people who can operate, maintain and improve those systems.

Women face additional barriers

For women entering what remains a traditionally male-dominated sector, the barriers can extend beyond technical competence.

Goldman points to women being overlooked for hands-on operational work, excluded from informal professional networks, working in male-dominated environments and balancing demanding technical careers with family responsibilities.

The challenge does not end when women enter the profession. Goldman says women remain underrepresented in senior management, with barriers including promotions influenced by connections rather than competence, weak succession planning and workplace cultures that continue to associate leadership with traditionally male characteristics.

This underrepresentation is reflected in the broader water sector, where women hold only around 20 – 25% of management roles in water institutions, while women account for approximately 15% of CEOs and managing directors, according to the World Bank’s Equal Aqua HR survey (2026).

The cost of losing talented women

“If women are not supported and retained, the sector risks losing fresh perspectives that drive innovation, weakening its pipeline of leaders and losing skilled professionals who could have anchored institutions for decades,” he says.

A failure to retain skilled women therefore has implications far beyond gender equality, weakening institutional knowledge and the leadership pipeline needed to secure South Africa’s water future.

Mentorship must become part of the system

Mentorship needs to become more than an informal gesture. Experienced professionals, both men and women, can help develop the next generation of sector leaders by sharing knowledge, opening doors, giving young professionals meaningful responsibility and supporting women publicly as they progress.

“It’s about being allies in practice, not just in principle,” Goldman says.

Evidence from IMESA’s mentorship programme and WISA’s CPD initiatives points to gains in confidence and clearer professional pathways for participants, pointing to the value of structured support alongside formal qualifications.

Employers should also establish structured graduate programmes, workplace rotations, transparent promotion processes and leadership development pathways from the outset.

Professionalisation can strengthen the leadership pipeline

Professionalisation and continuous professional development (CPD) can further strengthen this pipeline by providing recognised credentials, ongoing learning and professional networks.

For WISA, this links directly to its focus on professionalisation and capacity building. Women currently account for 43% of registered Professional Process Controllers, while 23% of WISA’s female members hold the designation. This demonstrates the potential of professionalisation to create recognised pathways from qualification and practical competence into more advanced technical roles.

A future-ready water workforce requires clear pathways that enable professionals to progress from qualification, to practical competence and ultimately into technical and leadership roles.

From celebrating women to creating opportunities

For Goldman, the message for Women’s Month is about more than celebrating women who have already succeeded. It is about changing the systems that determine who gets an opportunity to succeed.

“If South Africa wants more women leaders in water, support and opportunity must be built into the system. Clearer career routes from qualification to leadership are essential, alongside workplace cultures that value diverse leadership and real measures to track progress.”

“The women leading within WISA are living proof of what is possible,” Goldman says. “The challenge now is to multiply that success across the sector.”