Xylem Water Solutions South Africa, part of Xylem Incorporated, the global leader in water technology, recently employed its first ever African, female fitter. Zanele Sithole joined the team this year and she is set to prove that a woman is as capable of handling the challenges of a physically demanding career as any man. Zanele Sithole (26) hails from Witbank, Mpumalanga originally, where it was evident from childhood that she had an aptitude for all things technological. She recalls how she frequently disassembled broken electronic devices, repaired them and put them back together, before even reaching her teens.

Her family quickly realised that Zanele was suited for something a little different than what they might have envisioned for her. “My mother wanted me to be a doctor,” Sithole says, jokingly. “But grease is so much better than blood!” Her family proudly supports her to this day. The happily married mother of two completed her N3 at college and proceeded to qualify as a fitter artisan in 2009. From the start of her career, she has been committed to showing that she is capable, strong and intelligent. The combination of these attributes have stood her in good stead in a career that is traditionally viewed as a “man’s job”.

“I look at a problem with a great deal of forethought,” Sithole explains. “Solving a problem in your mind beforehand and allows you to employ economy of strength to achieve the same result as brute strength.” Initially, Sithole’s male colleagues were surprised to see a woman in the workshop, but it didn’t take long before their surprise turned into respect. “I like the fact that I can show the guys that a woman can pick up a spanner too…and that we can all work together towards a common goal. On top of that – I have been told that I make the workshop smell nice,” she says.

With her appointment at Xylem South Africa, Sithole is eager to maximise the opportunity to hone her skills in her chosen field while working on a premier global brand’s products. She also looks forward to growing and to perhaps mentoring other young women who would like to enter the workforce in a similar fashion. “There is no limit to what you can achieve if you have a dream and you set your mind to achieving it,” Sithole adds. Xylem South Africa supports Zanele as she continues to grow and build a career as part of its specialist team in South Africa.