“Not presidential enough?” Independent Online’s framing of women’s electability in South Africa’s presidential race
Résumé
A growing body of literature recognises the role of media framing in shaping public perceptions of political leadership. Studies of gender bias in election coverage suggest that women presidential candidates often face heightened scrutiny and negative stereotypes. This study reviews the news framing of women presidential aspirants in South Africa to provide insights into how the press constructs their electability. Data for this study were gathered from the prominent online news site Independent Online ( IOL ) in South Africa to explore how the media framed the electability of women presidential aspirants in the 2017 and 2024 ANC primaries. The study employed feminist media theory and framing analysis to investigate the media framing of Lindiwe Sisulu and Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. The analysis revealed that women candidates are often portrayed as less presidential, with an emphasis on their emotionality, appearance, and personal lives, rather than their policy competence. Several issues were identified, including stereotypical portrayals of women as unfit for executive political leadership. The findings of this study indicate that the South African media perpetuates gendered narratives that marginalise women in presidential contests. The findings shed new light on the role of media in reinforcing patriarchal political structures. These findings suggest several courses of action for promoting fairer political coverage. This includes increased media training on gender sensitivity and enhanced accountability for biased reporting.
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