Rising importance of women in the civil engineering industry

28 September 2017
The time has come for women to take up positions of ownership and management in the civil engineering industry. This is the view of Lebogang Mashele, newly-appointed Business Development Manager at Motheo Infrastructure Contractors, who has a decade’s worth of experience in the industry.
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Having cut her teeth on such iconic projects as the Gautrain and Kusile Power Station, Mashele says the profession is particularly challenging for women who are working mothers as well. “I have been going to site for ten years now, and it is not easy. You have to be firm and forceful to ensure your opinion carries weight.”

This is no longer a problem in her new role at Motheo Infrastructure Contractors, part of the Motheo Construction Group, established in 1997 by industry stalwart Dr. Thandi Ndlovu. Boasting six black-female and one black-male shareholders, with a collective 54% stake, it remains the only black-female empowered construction company in South Africa.

“I really like the environment here, which is based on the vision of supporting women in the industry. My current mandate is to make us a household name in South Africa, and a force to be reckoned with. Our message to the larger companies out there is that we are the women of Motheo. We can execute projects just as well as you can, and we are here to stay,” Mashele comments.

Mashele has a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering – Construction Management from the University of South Africa, and a National Diploma in Civil Engineering from the Tshwane University of Technology. She is affiliated with the Engineering Council of South Africa and the South African Institution of Civil Engineers.

Commenting on what attracted her to civil engineering initially, Mashele says simply: “Learning to work with your hands, and being part of big projects. It is truly inspiring to be involved from the design to the actual construction and handover, and then to see the impact this has on people’s lives, especially infrastructure such as roads, water supply, and sewerage reticulation.”

While Mashele maintains that the industry “still has a long way to go in developing women, and giving women a chance,” there is a growing trend for female directors. While this is a good indication of progress in general, Mashele hopes that the industry’s transformation continues to the point where these female directors eventually become owners and managing directors themselves.

“I would still like to see increased female representation in this regard, especially in the major listed construction companies. What we need are women at the helm who have genuine operational influence.” This will send an important message to young women contemplating studying civil engineering, and embarking on professional careers in the industry.

Ends

Notes to the editor
To download hi-res images for this release, please visit http://media.ngage.co.za  and click the Motheo Construction Group link to view the company’s press office.

About Motheo Construction Group
Motheo Construction Group was established in 1997 by Dr Thandi Ndlovu. Motheo is a founder member of South African Women in Construction (SAWIC). During its 19-year history, the Group has developed into South Africa’s leading, mainly black female-owned and managed construction company. Today it boasts six black female shareholders who have a 54% stake in the Group. Motheo is currently registered with the CIDB as Level 9 GBPE and 9 CEPE. A leading provider of social housing, it has been registered with the NHBRC since its inception.

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