Page 13 - NHBRC

0The National Home Builders’ Registration Council (NHBRC) is investing in emerging female
CITY PRESS, 8 MARCH, 2015
entrepreneurs in the construction industry by enabling 80 of them to attend a business
development programme at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Johannesburg

index

CONQUERING FEAR Back row, left to right: Lerato George, Sindiswa Mgulwa, Tumi Paulos, Thato Mokhothu, Sisanda Hangana, Bongi Xintolo. Front row, left to right:
Nomthandazo Nkosi, Nikelwa Pumane and Miranda Mtwecu PHOTO: ELIZABETH SEJAKE
So, what’s new?

opportunity

uzzwords such as Being innovative in a business means the job. I lost money and decided never
‘futurising’ and to underquote again. I almost quit
‘imagineering’ spring to building because it was so hard – but I
mind when the topic of doing something new, smarter, better am glad I’ve hung in there.”
innovation arises. Mokhothu: “I opened a restaurant
B In essence, innovation or differently. But, ‘new’ means along with running my construction
in business is essential to keep evolving business, not realising that anything to
to get a more competitive edge, to do with food is a 24/7 job. I was
increase turnover and hopefully grow ‘change’, and that often frightens overambitious, but I thought closing the
profits. It is also a way of engaging restaurant would mean I was a failure.
others and growing the prospects of “I learnt from my experience. Stick to
those around you to strengthen your people, writes one thing, certainly at the beginning.”
industry.
Sue Grant-Marshall Being passionate
Fighting the fear of change Pumane: “If you aren’t passionate
Tumi Paulos, of Amaziah Trading, about what you are doing, then who is
Johannesburg: “This is a really going to love working with you?
interesting topic, because when it comes “It is disheartening, because we really
to women working in construction it there, I returned to construction with my work with us. We make sure people who struggle to get tenders in the Eastern
seems it’s the men who have a fear of husband’s support and, since 2010, I’ve are only used for mixing concrete, for Cape. But I am carrying on because I so
change. been doing fine.” instance, get taught other skills too. enjoy construction.”
“A couple of years ago, when I was Nikelwa Pumane, of Euro Blitz 1182, “For example, I have ensured that we Hangana: “You need to feel strongly
involved with my first project, I was Dutywa, Mthatha and Qumbu: “When teach a bricklayer about first aid. It’s an about what you are doing, especially
asked: ‘Why do you not have a man I registered my company, I began with added skill.” during the start-up phase. As a small,
sitting here?’ catering and events management. Then Sisanda Hangana, of Sakhe medium or micro enterprise, you’re not
“So, in my first meeting, I had to I went into construction. I am Logistics, East London: “There given projects because you are told you
defend the fact that I was a woman. I excellent at fixing potholes, but are challenges to upskilling have no capacity; you are not big
had to tell them they needed to give I’m not getting the tenders to BE SURE labourers working on site. enough. But we have to start
women a chance.” do so. They go to bigger When I have offered some of somewhere.”
Thato Mokhothu, of Refilwe companies. Is your builder registered them a training course, they
Tshiamo Trading, Bloemfontein: “It “But I’ve decided to fight with the NHBRC? Check at have responded by saying, Collaborating with other
created huge change in my life when I my fear and approach big ‘No, I don’t want to do construction businesses
resigned from the bank, which I had construction companies to www.nhbrc.org.za/builder-search that. I want to go on Xintolo: “Working on joint ventures
worked in for seven years, to start my ask for subcontracting or call 0800 200 824. For earning money here on with others can be good for us.
own construction business. work.” other questions, SMS 34263 site.’” “But I had a bad experience when I
“A bank salary is a safe income, but I Mgulwa: “I go and get set out to empower someone in a joint
decided to take a leap of faith. New Giving your workers with keyword NHBRC. young people from the small venture. It failed because I was spreading
opportunities opened up almost two jobs SMSes cost R1.50 town of Bizana to work with me myself too thin.
immediately for me.” Paulos: “I’ve decided to in other municipalities. Once they “But I tried again – and failed again
Sindiswa Mgulwa, of Tanela empower the women on my have a taste for this kind of because the other company didn’t do
Construction, Bizana, Eastern Cape: construction sites by giving them construction work, it sets them on their what was expected of it.
“After college, I started working for responsibilities in addition to their journey. So I am motivating them.” “But now it is third time lucky. I’m
someone who was paying me R800 a building. I put them in positions of Paulos: “I am listening to you women happy with my latest joint venture, and
month as his PA. I’d always been power, and I now have two female who work in deep rural areas talking it’s because I am far more assertive than
attracted by the construction world, but supervisors. It grows us all.” about the challenges facing you there. I used to be.”
after I resigned I thought, almost Nomthandazo Nkosi, of Nomuthe And I am amazed at what you are Pumane: “Collaborating with other
immediately, oops, no salary. Have I Nkosi Trading and Projects, Soweto: “I managing to do with so few resources.” companies is a good idea because
done the right thing? have a general-construction company, building projects for those with lower
“I decided I had. I faced the fear.” and I have empowered start-ups in my Learning from failure building grades are hard to come by. If
Mokhothu: “The construction industry community in Soweto. I also send my Nkosi: “I had a really successful fast- you work with a big company, you
is a challenging and intimidating one for company co-workers to meetings and food business in Soweto that eventually acquire new skills.
women because, so often, men don’t that, in time, gives them the confidence collapsed. But I picked myself up, learnt “There are companies building schools
think we can crack it. For that reason, I to start their own businesses.” from the experience and now am in the Eastern Cape – but they come
subcontract my services.” Bongi Xintolo, of BHS Construction, successful in the construction arena. from other provinces.
Lerato George, of Milisuthando Mthatha: “We work on schools and Never be afraid to fail, because that’s “We do wish they would give us a
Trading, East London: “I was pregnant offices and do how we learn.” chance to work with them.”
when I registered my company in 2008, renovations on Mgulwa: “I once Miranda Mtwecu, of Mtwecu
and my first project was supplying projects that are in A project in partnership with the quoted way below Construction, Queenstown: “In the end
bricks. I’ve had an up-and-down deep rural areas what I should have it’s about empowerment, isn’t it? I
existence since then. Business was slow, most of the time. NHBRC on a construction adopted my domestic worker’s child,
so I went back to my salaried job. But “We are given project because I was educated her and then hired her to do
when I saw other women making it out unskilled people to so desperate to get marketing for my company.”