Women in construction tackle eMbalenhle school’s old bathrooms
he revamp included extensive cleaning, retiling, painting, plumbing, installation of new toilets, urinals, taps, basins, and cubicle doors, as well as the safe removal of a bee colony.ac
Resilience, courage, and determination define strong women. When one woman rises, she inspires many others to believe they can rise too.
The ablution facilities at eMbalenhle Primary School, the oldest in the area, were in desperate need of a makeover. Broken or missing basins and taps, filthy and non-functioning toilets, blocked drains, and even a hive of bees made daily use challenging.
Secunda Business Hub, together with Air Liquide, identified the need and liaised with Samukele Masemula, founder of Sentinel Construction Engineering and Projects, to turn it into a meaningful community upliftment project.
According to Masemula, some toilets in the school’s three-storey building had been unusable for more than 10 years, creating a huge challenge for providing adequate and hygienic facilities for learners.
The revamp included extensive cleaning, retiling, painting, plumbing, installation of new toilets, urinals, taps, basins, and cubicle doors, as well as the safe removal of a bee colony.
The team’s biggest challenge was the blocked sewer system, which required clearing a rubbish-strewn passage to access the drains.
During the handover ceremony, Masemula used the opportunity to educate girls about sanitary hygiene, providing products and bins while explaining proper disposal methods.
Masemula also encouraged learners to reach for the stars, demonstrating that women can flourish in male-dominated industries such as construction, mining, and engineering. As a sole director leading projects with a team of accomplished women—Prudence Nkambule, Dorothy Mudau, and Precious Ndimande—Masemula herself holds an honours degree in health and safety management and engineering and is working toward a master’s in construction management. She founded Sentinel Construction, Engineering and Projects in 2019.
“Let us continue to challenge stereotypes, support one another, and show the world that capability has no gender,” Masemula advocated.
“The journey is not always easy. There will be days when things don’t work out as planned, but that is not the time to give up. It is the time to get back on your feet and keep pushing forward. Let’s continue breaking barriers and proving that women can achieve anything,” she concluded.
