Local pumps distributor appoints first female fitter

22nd March 2013

By: Samantha Herbst

Creamer Media Deputy Editor

  

Font size: - +

Local water technology provider Xylem Solutions South Africa has employed its first female fitter, Zanele Sithole. She joined the team in January, as part of the company’s employment equity pro- gramme, which is aligned to international standards and enables women to progress within the company.

Human resources manager and industrial psychologist Zelna Maré tells Engineering News that Xylem strives towards a diverse and committed workforce, adding that women in the work- place add qualities of deter- mination – stemming from the determination to succeed in a male-dominated work- force – and attention to detail.

Sithole – who is qualified to assemble, disassemble and repair faulty mechanical equipment – says her appointment showcases women in the engineering industry and proves that they are physi- cally able to perform the same work as men.

She concedes, however, that women not possessing equal physical strength to the average man does pose somewhat of a challenge in this work environment, but she is nevertheless deter- mined to prove that women are as capable of handling the challenges of such a physically demanding career.

Sithole adds that, since the start of her career, she has been committed to showing that she is capable, strong and intelligent.

“I look at a problem with a great deal of forethought. Solving a problem in your mind beforehand allows you to employ economy of strength to achieve the same result as brute strength,” she explains.

Initially, Sithole’s male colleagues were surprised to see a woman in the workshop, but it did not take long before their surprise turned into respect.

“I like the fact that I can show my male counterparts that a woman can pick up a spanner too, and that we can all work together towards a common goal. “I have also been told that I make the workshop smell nice,” she jokes.

The 26-year-old, who hails from eMalahleni, in Mpumalanga, says it was evident from childhood that she had an aptitude for all things technological.

She recalls how, as a child, she fre- quently disassembled broken electronic devices, repaired them and put them back together. “I always knew that this was my career path. Getting this job has been a dream come true for me,” she says.

Sithole’s family quickly realised that she was suited for something different to what they might have envisioned for her. “My mother wanted me to be a doctor, but grease is so much better than blood!” she jokes.

The artisan admits that one of the biggest challenges of her journey was not fulfilling her mother’s dream of her entering the medical profession one day, and says she had to convince her mother that the industrial workplace was for her.

“It was very important to me that she understood my point of view, so that she could support me, which she did,” says Sithole, a married mother of two, who qualified as an apprentice in 2009, having completed her N3-level course at Nkangala Further Education and Training College, in Mpumalanga. Sithole is currently working towards her N6 diploma, which she hopes to complete next year.

With her appointment at Xylem South Africa, Sithole is eager to take advantage of the opportunity to hone her skills in her chosen field, while working on the global brand’s products.

She looks forward to developing her ability and, possibly, mentoring other young women who might be interested in entering 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,” she adds.

Xylem has openly declared its sup- port for Sithole as she continues to grow and build a career as part of its specialist team in South Africa.

Meanwhile, Maré believes that there is still a gap in the market in terms of education and training for men and women, particularly in product-related fields such as pump operation and repairs, but adds that Xylem mitigates this by offering training to customers directly and when needed.

“In the current economic environ- ment, the financial impact of training and retaining artisans is a major challenge. “However, Xylem South Africa is committed to providing learnerships and opportunities for apprentices,” she says.

Edited by Megan van Wyngaardt
Creamer Media Contributing Editor Online

Comments

The content you are trying to access is only available to subscribers.

If you are already a subscriber, you can Login Here.

If you are not a subscriber, you can subscribe now, by selecting one of the below options.

For more information or assistance, please contact us at subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za.

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION