Women help keep the lights on
On a day-to-day basis, Thobejane’s work involves connecting electricity, which involves the process of digging trenches, laying light current cables, connecting them into the meter boxes and then subsequently supplying electrical power to a building.
Working with electrical infrastructure is often regarded as a man’s job, given the heavy equipment used in the field.
However, women such as Petunia Thobejane (35), a qualified electrician based at the City’s Springs depot, works as a technician and is responsible for the planning and construction division.
She is working towards climbing the corporate ladder until she reaches the upper levels of female chief electrical engineer in the City, as there is none currently.
For the past 10 years in the City of Ekurhuleni’s employ, Thobejane has been making ground-breaking moves to take up space in the male-dominated energy sector.
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She started as an apprentice in 2011 and is now responsible for a team of three electrical assistants.
On a day-to-day basis, Thobejane’s work involves connecting electricity, which involves the process of digging trenches, laying light current cables, connecting them into the meter boxes and then subsequently supplying electrical power to a building.
As much as Thobejane excels at her job, she still feels she can still do more given the chance.
She aspires to work with heavy current, where one day she will work on the City’s heavy electrical infrastructure such as the sub-stations, as it is work done by her male counterparts.
Thobejane said the only way to change the status quo in the field of work earmarked as male-dominated is to study hard and be willing to learn from those who are doing the work.
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“We as women are always side-lined when it comes to heavy duties in our line of work.
“However, the trick is not to give up. My wish is to study even further and work hard to prove I’m also just as capable of executing the work on the ground.”
Thobejane pleaded with her male counterparts in the energy sector to make room for female workers and afford them time and space to do heavy duties coupled with some guidance to achieve gender equality.
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