Spotlight: Three women in Jozi take on male-dominated industries and shine
Located between Dainfern and Diepsloot is a hub of entrepreneurs – an initiative now supporting hundreds of locals, many of whom are women.
Riversands Incubation Hub first started in 2015. It aims at boosting local economic activity through the 170 small business running at The Hub.
The rental is subsidised and offers the entrepreneurs housed there the opportunity to grow and create new jobs as well as earn money.
Masego Mohajane, a self-proclaimed tomboy, spent her youth helping her mom repair electrical appliances. This early interest is what helped determine her future as a qualified clinical engineer who managed a team of people repairing ultrasound machines.
Mohajane spotted a gap in the market, as she recognised that peri-urban and rural medical centres were often without ultrasound machines. This led her to establish M-Squared Medical, with a vision to take high technology medical equipment to outlying areas.
She now has a thriving business selling and repairing ultrasound machines, as well as supplying other necessary medical equipment.
She says, “I get a thrill when I see a woman in a small township like Hebron seeing her healthy unborn baby on screen in a four-dimensional scan. This wouldn’t be possible without M-Squared Medical.”
Another industry leader is Seola Mashamite. She qualified as a chemical engineer and whilst working for a large chemical production company, spotted an advertisement for a metrology internship.
“I had no clue what it was, but I did some research, applied for the job and started in 2008.That was the beginning of my career in the metrology field. I then worked my way up in the company and eventually headed up the laboratory.”
When the company where she was working liquidated she managed to acquire the accreditation for her laboratory, which is now the only black-owned accredited calibration laboratory in South Africa.
Ntshantsha Tafeni is an entrepreneur who is changing the stigma attached to traditional healing by creating products that use indigenous herbs for healing.
Yivani Naturals produces a range of skincare products which overcome the stigma associated with these herbs.
“We take care of the holistic needs of our clients’ mind, body and spirit. We have brought back traditional healing and converted it into modern therapy that everybody can relate to, in attractive packaging,” says Tafeni.
For more information on the Riversands Incubation Hub or to find out more about the entrepreneurs, visit the website.
Tags:
