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CITY PRESS, 23 OCTOBER, 2016  “The construction industry is so                                      “My family has believed in me                                      “All men, irrespective of their

       A                         sexist. Sometimes men think,                                        from day one. When I told them                                       economic background, want
    project                    because they’re men, that they’re                                        some years ago that I was                                        respect. But that is something
in partnership                                                                                                                                                          they need to earn. I can be very
   with the                     the employer and can call the                                        leaving my office job and going                                     stern with them, but I respect
                               shots. When I reprimanded one,                                          into a construction business,                                      them and it’s working. They
NHBRC                          he started influencing the other                                       they were shocked. But they’ve
                                                                                                        supported me. Behind the                                            reciprocate my approach
                                         staff negatively
                                                                                                     success of every business there’s                                                     KARABO MASHAO
                                                    LOLLY MOGOTSI                                       always a supportive family

                                                                                                                 LETLHOGONOLO SECHOARO

opportunity index              ON THE MOVE North West Gibs delegates (back from left): Mosidi Sosibo-Maponyane of Elegant Line Trading 720, Letlhogonolo Sechoaro of Sechoaro Supply &

                               Delivery, Brunhilde Mogadime of Brumant Trading and Projects, Nomsa Babale of Mountain Rock Construction and Projects 76, Lindelwa Monnakgothu of Pholin

                               Trading, Refilwe Sedumedi of Redumeletswe Construction and Projects 55, Onneile Pudi of Best Enough Trading and Projects 535 and Taelo Moseki of Injongo

                               Projects and Management. Front row, seated: Omphile Sebego of Kgatliso Logictics, Mapula Molotsane of Baikantse Construction, Lerato Lekoma of Lirabrand

                               Enterprise, Maletsatsi Mogotsi of Three Blues Construction and Projects and Karabo Mashao of Kolwana Holdings                            PHOTO: EUGENE GODDARD

                               Women on top

                                  The challenges for women who run their own companies in the construction
                               sector are many and varied. They include learning about a start-up business, how
                                to manage men in a male-dominated industry, and coping with family and work

                                    responsibilities simultaneously. Entrepreneurs from North West who are
                                  delegates on the Empowerment Programme of the National Home Builders’
                                  Registration Council (NHBRC), currently running at the Gordon Institute of

                                  Business Science (Gibs), tell Sue Grant-Marshall how they manage it all

                               What would you like to have known                                        “Then, suddenly, it sprouts and grows 10m in three                 Onneile Thelma Pudi of Best Enough Trading and Projects
                                                             before you started your construction    months. That is the story of my business.”                         535 in Taung has encountered men who “believe the industry
                                                             business?                                                                                                  is for men only. They make it clear they don’t like taking
                                                                “I wish I’d known I’d be working     How do you manage men in a male-dominated industry?                orders from a woman.
                                                             abnormal hours and that I’d have           “All men, irrespective of their economic backgrounds, want
                                                             sleepless nights about paying salaries                                                                        “I just smile and walk away. I’ve learnt to ignore their
                               and suppliers,” says Letlhogonolo Sechoaro of Sechoaro                respect. But that is something they need to earn. I can be         criticism and concentrate on managing my business to the best
                               Supply & Delivery in Mahikeng. “There are times when my               very stern with them, but I respect them and it’s working.         of my ability.”
                               invoices are not paid. So, I’ve learnt that working capital and       They reciprocate my approach,” says Mashao.
                               proper planning are really important.”                                                                                                   What role has your family played in your business?
                                                                                                        Sosibo-Maponyane was once asked by a man: “Why are                 “My family has believed in me from day one,” says Sechoaro.
                                  Lindelwa Monnakgothu of Pholin Trading in Klerksdorp               you in construction? Why aren’t you in the beauty industry?”
                               advises other women in her field that it’s not necessary to           She says, somewhat despondently, “the moral of the story is        This has been the case even though they were shocked when I
                               concentrate solely on tenders, “which can be really draining          that men will never accept that women can do well here”.           told them some years ago that I was leaving my office job and
                               work. Instead, knock on the doors of private companies.”                                                                                 going into a construction business. But they’ve supported me.
                                                                                                        Lerato Lekoma points out that she sometimes interacts           Behind the success of every business there’s always a
                                  “The construction industry is so sexist,” warns Maletsatsi         with men with stereotypical views who refuse to take women         supportive family.”
                               Lolly Mogotsi of Three Blues Construction and Projects in             seriously on building sites. “I just remain calm and strong.
                               Mmabatho. “Sometimes men think, because they’re men, that             I’m fortunate that I get lots of support from my uncle, who           Monnakgothu says that her husband has been a pillar of
                               they’re the employer and can call the shots. When I                   is my mentor. He reminds me of how professional I am.              support throughout her career. “His knowledge and assistance
                               reprimanded one, he started influencing the other staff                                                                                  have been huge. He doesn’t complain about looking after our
                               negatively.”                                                             “Men who don’t look down on me because of my age and            children when I’m away on business. I’m so grateful for the
                                                                                                     gender are a bliss to work with.”                                  support of my loved ones as it makes life so much easier.”
                                  Lerato Lekoma of Lirabrand Enterprise, Mahikeng, says
                               women in building “have to work 10 times harder than a                   Sechoaro says that, occasionally, a contractor will                “Family is the one thing you cannot subtract from a
                               man just to secure a project, let alone grow”.                        “mistakenly address one of my guys on a construction site          company,” says Mogotsi. “It’s like a joint venture. Having a
                                                                                                     thinking he’s the business owner. I’ve come to accept this as      negative or positive outlook often relates back to family.”
                                  “Never stop learning, enrol for short courses to learn more        the nature of the beast. But I always ensure that the situation
                               about our industry and understand it better. You’ll excel if          is rapidly clarified.                                                 Mapula Leah Molotsane of Baikantse Construction in
                               you do so,” says Mosidi Sosibo-Maponyane of Elegant Line                                                                                 Rustenburg says: “I am humbled by the support I get from my
                               Trading 720 in Rustenburg.                                               “It took drastic measures for me to really be taken seriously.  daughter. She volunteered to be on my building site on a full-
                                                                                                     I have learnt when to let remarks just roll away – and when to     time basis – for which I thank God.”
                                  Karabo Mashao of Kolwana Holdings in Mahikeng suggests             draw the line. I do tell some men firmly that I won’t tolerate
                               that women “view the industry as one big pie. Your slice is           their type of remarks on my site.”                                    Moseki would be “nowhere without my family, because my
                               there.”                                                                                                                                  parents and my partner funded me in the beginning”.
                                                                                                        “Men sometimes think you are just a pretty face, but I tell
                                  Taelo Moseki of Injongo Projects and Management in                 them straightforwardly: ‘The only thing connecting us right           Omphile Sebego of Kgatliso Logistics in Christiana says that
                               Vryburg and Mahikeng says: “I can’t stress enough the                 now is business’,” says Moseki.                                    her husband helped in her company from its inception in
                               importance of networking. You can’t be shy. You need to                                                                                  2007.
                               speak to others in the industry.”                                        Mogotsi manages men in her business well because she’s
                                                                                                     grown a thick skin. She describes herself as bold and listens to      “I tend to spend much of my time in briefings and
                                  Refilwe Sedumedi of Redumeletswe Construction and                  what they’re saying, but makes her own firm decisions              marketing the business. So, he goes to the building sites and
                               Projects in Rustenburg advises women in construction to be            “because they can make or break a company”.                        spends a great deal of time there with my employees.
                               like bamboo. “American motivational author Zig Ziglar tells us
                               that when bamboo is planted, even when it is carefully                   “I treat male labourers as individuals, giving them space to       “I have many building projects now and I’m doing as well as
                               watered and fertilised, it will often not grow for years.             be who they wish to be and allowing them to correct their          any man in construction, if not better.”
                                                                                                     mistakes. Men are boys, they whistle at passing women, but I
                                                                                                     always ignore them.”
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