Page 32 - NHBRC Flipbook

Swim

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WHERE THE FISH SWIM

Phindile Manyoni’s life has In the beginning
Phindile Manyoni considered herself “rich” as she was growing up in the
taken her from real village of Nqutu, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, because, unlike her barefoot school
friends, she wore shoes.
She also considered herself fortunate to have clothes.
childhood poverty, to in some money.
“I sold vetkoek at school which I would make the night before, to bring
“When I got back from classes I fetched water from the river so we
studying beauty could cook and wash. We had pit latrines. It was a really rural upbringing
and it is still very countrified today.”
So determined was Manyoni to go on school outings that she made batch
therapy, and then after batch of vetkoek, “to pay for my trips.”
She wrote matric twice so that she could get a university exemption.
marketing Having achieved that laudable aim she discovered to her sorrow that her
family couldn’t afford to send her to varsity.
Fortunately, she learnt about a bursary in holistic therapy at Damelin
products, before College in Johannesburg, applied and obtained her diploma in beauty
therapy.
She was so keen to get on in life that at one stage she juggled three jobs
moving into Tip working as a make-up consultant, a sales person and doing promotions for
Be prepared –
construction entrepreneurs SA Breweries.
It wasn’t long before she yearned to study again and obtained her
national diploma in marketing management at Varsity College in
wear many hats. Johannesburg.
with her dealing with companies such as Vodacom, BMW and Nestlé.
opportunity
Within two years of becoming a marketing account executive she was
Mzilikazi Site Starting out

But she wanted to run her own business.
Solutions couple of years later a good friend helped her to become part of a
So, in 2009 she registered her company, Mzilikazi Site Solutions. And a
business delegation to Paris.
company, writes Fund among others. They gave me advice on how to really push myself
“I met people from Aveng, Basil Read and the National Empowerment
Sue Grant- and be strategic if I wanted to land construction work.”
In 2012 Manyoni was awarded a two-year enterprise development
contract, to build concrete foundations for power pylons in North West
Marshall Province near Vryburg.
This was due to Eskom’s requirement that small building companies
should be involved in their projects.

Obstacles
‘‘I was struggling to get a foot in the door of the construction industry
which is, after all, so male dominated. Women are expected to run
KEEP ON businesses in which they cook and cater or be events organisers. I can do
SWIMMING all that.
Phindile “But construction, which is where my heart lies, is really not a level
Manyoni playing field.”
PHOTO: ELIZABETH
SEJAKE
Overcoming obstacles
“I learnt to fish where the fish swam. I rented offices at the
Michelangelo Hotel over the street from the Sandton Convention Centre in
2011.
“I attended every infrastructure conference or exhibition that I could at
the centre. And I absorbed innovative ideas and new products.
“I also attended government events there so that I could understand
their strategies.”
Manyoni learnt about several alternative forms of building technology.
“Ours consists of thermally insulating polystyrene panels that are
not only environmentally friendly but are easy to use. They have
insulating properties. They keep homes cool in summer and warm in
winter.”

Next step
Manyoni is part of a consortium, the Young Women in Business Network.
“We’re building a house for a child-headed household in Winnie Mandela
Park, Tembisa.
“It’s a project being done in partnership with Ekurhuleni Municipality
and the Tshwane University of Technology’s construction department.”

Dreams and goals
“I see myself in time to come, building environmentally safe and healthy
homes throughout the country.
“I want to employ lots of people too, to try and improve our economy.”

NHBRC is important because…
“I’m registered with SA Women in Construction (SAWIC) and they
contacted me about the NHBRC’s course at the Gordon Institute of Business
Science (GIBS). I’m thrilled to be learning management skills.”

A project in partnership with the
NHBRC

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