Engineer from Secunda becomes SAIMechE president
Mishael Mashele was elected president of the South African Institute of Mechanical Engineering.
Local trailblazer mechanical engineer Mishael Mashele was elected president of the South African Institute of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE).
Dr Oscar Asumani was elected vice president, and Marietjie Jansen van Rensburg became the national treasurer.
SAIMechE, established in 1892, is the senior body representing the mechanical engineering discipline in SA.
It covers all fields of application as diverse as automobile, energy generation, process engineering, heavy manufacture, design, management, research, mining and education.
SAIMechE’s mission is to serve the needs of mechanical engineers while promoting the continued supply of appropriate engineering skills to meet SA’s needs.
Mashele is the operations director at Paradigm Shift Holdings and joined SAIMechE in 2013 as a committee member for Mpumalanga.
In 2018, he became the chairperson of SAIMechE for the Mpumalanga Highveld region, where he served for five years. While serving as the Mpumalanga chairperson, he was elected the national treasurer in 2022.
“During this period, the organisation’s revenue increased along with its members’ participation through increased in industry visits, hosting evening papers and networking sessions, such as regional and national golf days with industry partners,” said Mashele.
Together with his company and stakeholders, Mashele does motivational talks at schools and helps drive learners in the right direction when wanting to pursue mechanical engineering after university.
They also sponsor merit awards yearly for learners who get distinctions in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and math) subjects.
“One can be book smart and have the credentials, but in terms of competence and execution, it could take up to four years to become a competent engineer in SA,” said Mashele.
Mashele received a bursary in 2004 from the Southern Highveld Community Development Trust, a CSI initiative of the Graceland Hotel and Casino, and studied mechanical engineering at the University of Pretoria.
When he finished studying, he went to work for Plant Design and Project Services (Pty) Ltd, with Claude Bentley as his mentor.
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“Mechanical engineering is an intertwined multiple disciplinary environment. It is the driving force of innovation that pushes the boundaries,” said Mashele.
His interest in engineering began through an encyclopedia around the age of 12.
“The encyclopedia had everything – biology, history and the entire universe. But it was the vehicles, engines and the technology side of things to which I kept paging back,” said Mashele.
Mashele said his driving force is his family.
“I believe a key trait to have, which is an important indicator of success, is tenacity. It’s a combination of determination, persistence and grit that comes in handy when facing inevitable challenges as one negotiates their career,” said Mashele.
He said it is crucial to love what you do and put in the hard work and sacrifices to get where you want to be.
For more on SAIMechE, visit www.saimeche.org.za
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