‘When a young girl sees a woman leading a technology company, speaking on a national platform, designing systems, sitting in a boardroom or shaping policy, something in her imagination expands,’ says Kume Luvhani, co-founder and executive director of digital tech company Vaxowave. ‘The girl begins to think, “Perhaps there is space for me there too”.’

But representation alone is not transformation, argues Luvhani, who won the Women in Tech award at Africa Tech Week 2026 in Cape Town.

‘A woman can be present in the room and still have no power over the agenda, the budget, the product, the policy, or the final decision. That’s why I say influence matters even more,’ she says.

 Luvhani explains the difference like this: a woman on a panel of experts is representation, while a woman with authority over product design, data governance, investment decisions, hiring and AI ethics is influence. ‘Representation opens the door; influence rearranges the room,’ she adds.

‘Our lived experiences, our questions, our caution, our creativity and our moral imagination must shape the digital economy. True inclusion is when the presence of women changes outcomes.’

But do girls in SA see themselves as creators and future leaders in tech or simply as tech consumers? ‘We frequently encounter girls who have never met a female software developer, data analyst, cybersecurity specialist, engineer or scientist,’ says Andolene Hofmeyr, the programme manager at TechnoGirl, a long-running partnership between government, NGOs and corporates. ‘Without exposure to these role models and career pathways, many talented young women don’t consider science, technology, engineering and mathematics [STEM] and ICT careers as realistic options,’ she says.

TechnoGirl believes that closing the digital gender gap requires both improved access and intentional exposure to STEM and ICT careers, workplace environments and female professionals who can demonstrate what’s possible. ‘While digital access has improved over time, significant inequalities remain, particularly in rural and under-resourced communities,’ says Hofmeyr. ‘Through TechnoGirl’s virtual job-shadowing programme, we continue to see schools and learners struggling with access to reliable connectivity, affordable data and appropriate technology. Many schools don’t have sufficient data or ICT infrastructure, such as laptops, projectors, smart boards, screens or headphones, to enable meaningful participation in digital learning opportunities. As a result, many learners remain excluded from opportunities their peers are able to access.’

The digital gender divide in SA is multi-dimensional and evolving. ‘Historically, it was simply defined by whether women could connect to the internet or own a mobile device,’ says Matimba Mbungela, Vodacom group chief HR officer. ‘That’s still a reality in many parts of Africa, where women remain less likely to have access to connectivity and digital tools. But today, the conversation has moved beyond access,’ he says.

 Mbungela explains the digital gender divide as spanning three interconnected layers. The first is access and affordability, reflecting the extent to which women can access digital networks, afford devices and data, and participate meaningfully in the digital economy.

The second refers to skills and confidence; whether women and girls have the digital literacy, STEM capabilities and confidence to use tech meaningfully. And the third is representation and influence – as highlighted by Luvhani and TechnoGirl – which ranges from women participating in STEM careers to holding leadership roles and shaping the technologies of the future. ‘It’s not enough to connect women if they aren’t empowered to create, lead and innovate within the digital ecosystem,’ says Mbungela. ‘That’s why Vodacom’s ambition is to move from digital inclusion to digital empowerment, ensuring women are not just users of technology, but active contributors to Africa’s digital future.’

As with most things in life, the timing is crucial. ‘Our experience suggests that the most critical intervention period is between Grades 8 and 10,’ says Hofmeyr. ‘This is the stage at which learners begin making subject choices and forming perceptions about their future careers.’

Early exposure to STEM and ICT careers, digital skills and workplaces during this period can fundamentally change the trajectory of a young person’s future, she says. Once a girl understands how STEM is applied in real workplaces and sees women succeeding in these roles, she is more likely to pursue maths, science and tech-related pathways.

Overcoming the tech gender gap is deeply connected to early childhood stereotypes, says Kerry-Lynn Thomson, director of the School of Information Technology at Nelson Mandela University. ‘At primary and high school level, especially in under-resourced communities, girls need mentors who make technology feel accessible and achievable,’ she says. ‘Many young women still grow up believing that IT, cybersecurity or AI are “male spaces”.

‘Representation matters enormously at this phase. When girls can see women academics, researchers and entrepreneurs who look like them and share similar backgrounds, the psychological barrier begins to shift.’

Thomson believes the most effective mentorship is long-term and layered, starts early and continues into professional leadership. ‘Workshops and motivational talks are valuable, but they do not necessarily change participation in technology fields,’ she says. ‘What makes the difference is consistent exposure, access and support.’

Companies need to stop treating the digital empowerment of girls and women as a once-a-year campaign or a CSI side project, says Luvhani, and instead make it part of their business strategy. She advises companies to start early by supporting coding and robotics clubs in schools, especially in townships and rural areas.

‘They can sponsor devices and data for girls who cannot afford them,’ she says. ‘They can partner with schools, TVET colleges, universities and community organisations. They can create paid internships, apprenticeships, returnship programmes for women who have taken career breaks and mentorship programmes that lead to actual jobs.’

Yet mentorship alone is not enough, says Luvhani, as many women also need sponsorship. This can be someone in the organisation willing to put their name forward, open doors, assign them to meaningful projects or advocate for their promotion.

‘Companies must also look inward,’ she says. ‘Are women being hired into technical roles? Are they being promoted? Are they leading product teams? Are they sitting on boards? Are women-owned technology suppliers getting procurement opportunities? Are workplaces safe for mothers, caregivers, and young women? Are harassment policies real, or are they only documents?’

Many corporates in SA are already addressing these issues. But it’s the large telecoms groups, such as Vodacom and MTN, that can holistically tackle what Mbungela calls ‘an ecosystem approach, moving a girl from access, to skills, to opportunity, and ultimately to influence in shaping the digital future’. Vodacom’s long-established programmes – which include e-Learning, Code Like a Girl, TechStart and the Discover graduate internship programme – are designed for the complete talent lifecycle, from early exposure to employability in the digital economy.

Increasingly, the digital gender ecosystem also involves preventing algorithms from reinforcing existing gender hierarchies and improving AI for fairer, less biased outputs for women. ‘This is certainly a challenge,’ says Thomson.

‘AI systems learn from historical data and historical data most often contains inequalities. And, if AI use is not intentional, automation can simply scale existing discrimination, while seeming neutral. One way to prevent or reduce this is for women to be actively involved in the design, development, testing and governance of AI systems.’

And then there’s the ‘very real and very concerning issue’ of tech-enabled gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa. ‘GBV is often thought of as only being physical. However, the online spaces have become an increased “attack surface”,’ says Thomson. ‘Online harassment, cyberstalking, non-consensual image sharing, impersonation, intimidation and targeted abuse – all of which can take place online – can have severe psychological, emotional and even physical consequences. In South Africa, where GBV is already a national crisis, technology can unfortunately amplify harm.’

Digital resilience and safety awareness is important for all online users, with girls being disproportionately affected. ‘We cannot encourage girls to participate in the digital economy without also equipping them to navigate its risks safely and confidently,’ says Hofmeyr.

‘For this reason, TechnoGirl incorporates modules and discussions around cyber safety, responsible digital engagement, digital citizenship and professional online behaviour into our programmes from as early as Grade 8. We believe that empowering girls in the digital space means helping them understand both the opportunities and the responsibilities that come with being connected.’

In December 2025, MTN launched a ‘story-led digital healing and learning platform’ called the I AM Collective to curb digital violence against women and girls.

‘Our responsibility is to ensure technology remains a force for good,’ says Nompilo Morafo, MTN group chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer. ‘The I AM Collective is part of our commitment to predict, detect and prevent digital harm while empowering women to participate confidently in the digital economy. MTN’s scale and partnerships place us in a unique position to help shape Africa’s digital safety landscape.’

In SA, closing the digital gender divide is an evolving challenge, as AI and online GBV add new layers to issues such as access and affordability, digital literacy, tech skills, representation and influence.

The stakes are clear to Luvhani. ‘I don’t want our daughters to grow up in a world where they’re excellent users of technology but absent from the rooms where technology is imagined,’ she says. ‘The digital world is becoming the world. If girls and women are excluded from shaping it, then they are excluded from shaping the future.’

By Silke Colquhoun
Image: iStock