Rewriting the narrative: How women engineers are reshaping South Africa’s technical landscape (Part 1).
The industry recently celebrated International Women’s Day. Supplied by Lumacon
Across South Africa’s construction and engineering sectors, a quiet transformation is underway. Rather than focusing solely on meeting diversity targets, some organisations are demonstrating what happens when women are fully integrated into technical leadership and project delivery.
One such example is Lumacon, a division of Nzwalo Investments, where close to 80% of the workforce is female. In an industry historically dominated by men, this represents more than a statistical milestone. It signals a shift in how expertise, leadership and collaboration are emerging in engineering teams.
As the industry reflects on the meaning of International Women’s Day, the experiences of three Lumacon professionals – a senior engineer, a project manager and a junior mechanical engineer – illustrate how a new generation of women is redefining the culture of technical work in South Africa.
Finding the right path into engineering
For Thobile Ndwandwe, head of engineering at Lumacon, the journey into the profession was not initially obvious. Encouraged by her parents to explore medicine, she volunteered in a hospital environment before realising that healthcare was not where her strengths lay.
Instead, she found her calling in engineering – a field that allowed her to channel the analytical mindset she admired in her late father, who was himself a mechanical engineer.
Her academic work reflects a strong blend of creativity and technical rigour. Ndwandwe’s master’s research explored bio-inspired tubercles, structures found on whale fins, and how they could be applied to axial fan blades to improve airflow performance while reducing operational noise.
For Ndwandwe, the message to aspiring engineers is straightforward.
“Engineering may seem intimidating at first, but strong technical competence quickly removes doubt. If you prepare properly and develop your skills, you earn your place in the room,” she says.
Leadership on the construction site
While engineering theory begins in the classroom, it is ultimately tested on live project sites. For Talent Nyamayauta, a construction project manager with a master’s degree in building science, the practical environment of the construction site is where knowledge becomes real.
Originally trained in quantity surveying, she transitioned into HVAC project management because she was fascinated by how environmental control systems influence the overall performance of a building.
But technical qualifications alone are not enough. “One of the most important lessons I learned early on is humility. Often the deepest expertise lies with the technicians and artisans who work with these systems every day,” Nyamayauta explains.
By listening carefully and engaging with those on site, she believes project managers gain the practical insight needed to make better decisions.
In an industry where women are still under-represented, credibility often has to be demonstrated repeatedly. “Preparation and practical understanding build authority. Academic knowledge provides the framework, but real experience gives you clarity,” she notes.
Despite the challenges, Nyamayauta views the diversity of experience she encounters daily as a major advantage, helping her develop confidence in demanding environments.
Source: Supplied by Lumacon
