Now a proudly Level 1 B-BBEE company, Shumani Industrial Equipment continuously strives to empower its employees through continuous training and development. “We are a truly diverse and inclusive business across all our areas of operation,” says MD Victor Nemukula.

Contract Manager Grany Letswalo, who graduated with a Diploma in Financial Management in 2018, recently received her Certificate in Operations from the University of Cape Town. Within a year she progressed from Service Administration Manager to her current role. In charge of key accounts, Grany’s focus is customer satisfaction and service delivery.

She leads a team of 15 technicians who pride themselves on doing it right the first time. Her division is mainly responsible for aftermarket customer support. “Working for Shumani keeps my adrenaline pumping and I love it. Each day is different. Rest assured that you will not do tomorrow what you did today.”

In terms of diversity and inclusion, Grany points out that most of her sites have female forklift operators. “We are definitely grabbing the bull by the horns, especially as we need to have more women exposed to the industry. This will encourage young girls to be successful.” Grany’s advice is not to be worried at getting your hands dirty. “Some grease and oil will not harm you. Besides, one can always wear gloves.”

Her advice is never to doubt oneself. “There is nothing wrong with starting out small. My first job was at a restaurant when I had no qualifications. Now, I run an entire department.” She adds she is raising her two daughters by herself to aim for success regardless of their gender. “A perfect example was completing my recent qualification while juggling a new role and still being a mother,” stresses Grany.

Bookkeeper Lucy Ledwaba received her National Diploma in Accounting from the Tshwane University of Technology in 2002, her degree from Unisa in 2018, and a post-graduate diploma as a Professional Accountant in Practice from the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) in 2019. She is currently completing her CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting.

Lucy’s responsibilities have grown from a conventional bookkeeping function to proactively managing the debtor’s book and ensuring a healthy cash flow for the company. She adds that any financial position demands time, attention, and effort. “We have women who have excelled and are now holding very influential positions. It is critical to learn continuously and focus on achieving the goals you set yourself.”

She stresses: “It is difficult to balance work and personal life most of the time. Being a woman, I am expected to be a mother, wife, employee, student, daughter, sister, and daughter-in-law all at the same time, which can be very challenging to manage.” Her hope for the future is for the industry to introduce more programmes to mentor and encourage women to assume leadership roles.