A democratic South Africa guarantees equality to all regardless of gender, religion, beliefs, and race. However, leadership status of women in general is still suffering as there is unequal representation in leadership positions between men and women in institutions of higher learning. This phenomenological study sought to understand the female faculty dean's lived experiences and challenges they face in institutions of higher learning. An interview guide was used to collect data from the six female faculty deans in three universities in the Eastern Cape province in South Africa. Thereafter, a thematic analysis was applied. Analysis of interview data revealed that selection process, gender stereotypes, lack of support, networking and mentors are the challenges that women face in becoming leaders in South African university. Personal development, provision of support, networking platforms, mentoring programmes and research were recommended by the participants to be effective strategies for overcoming the challenges they face.