Shift Boss Buyisile Celiwe Sithole

Umphathi wezikhathi zokusebenza uBuyisile Celiwe Sithole

Women take the lead underground 

Working behind the counter at the ZAC equipment store sparked Buyisile Celiwe Sithole’s interest in going underground. Buyisile, the shift boss at ZAC’s Ngwabe Shaft, joined the company in 2002 as a security guard before moving on to become a clerk at the in-house store. 

Prior to working at the store, it had never occurred to Buyisile that she would become a miner one day. Buyisile used to see colleagues moving around in their protective gear but she knew very little about the experience of working at the shaft.  

While working inside the store and placing orders for equipment, she took the opportunity to ask questions. “I became interested and wanted to go there one day,” she explains. 

In 2004 she saw a mining learnership advert and did not hesitate to apply. After successfully completing her learnership, Buyisile went on to sharpen her skills, becoming a highly experienced miner over time.  

Buyisile became the second woman at the shaft to join the team, following in the footsteps of her friend and colleague Zinhle Nkabinde who she looks up to for inspiration. 

At first, entering the shaft was challenging for the two women as this was not considered as a lady’s job. But they soon got used to it, realising that what really matters underground is the quality of your work and not your gender. 

In July 2022 Buyisile was appointed as acting shift boss and officially occupied the position two months later. 

For Buyisile the sky is the limit as she looks forward to applying for her MO ticket so she can progress in her career. 

With 20-years-worth of experience behind her, Buyisile’s path sets a perfect example for younger women like 29-year-old Nondumiso Thwala. 

Stationed at the Outcrop Shaft, Nomdumiso who hails from Mashona Village also hopes to make her mark in the mining industry. She joined ZAC in April 2022 through a learnership after studying Electrical Engineering at the Elangeni TVET Collage.   

“I’ve learnt many things like how to test machines and carry out electrical installations underground. Initially, it was challenging since I’ve never done that before, but every day it gets easier as I gain confidence and experience,” she says. 

Her curiosity about electricity started when she was still a young girl.  

When an appliance around the house would break, Nondumiso was the one person who would try to fix it.   

“My brothers would just run. I would then be alone so I would try to fix my stuff like plugs and lights myself.  Hence, I don’t feel any different working with men at the mine,” she asserts.

Abesifazane bahamba phambili emgodini

Ukushaya isisefo endaweni egcina   izimpahla zabasebenzi eZAC kokhela inhlansi yothando lokusebenza emathunjini omhlaba kuBuyisile Celiwe Sithole. UBuyisile, ongumphathi wezikhathi zokusebenza eNgwabe Shaft eZAC, waqala ngo-2002 engunogada ngaphambi kokuthi abe ngumabhalane esitolo senkampani.

Ngaphambi kokusebenza esitolo, uBuyisile wayengakaze acabanga ukuthi angasebenza emgodini ngelinye ilanga. UBuyisile wayevame ukubona abalingani bakhe behla benyuka begqoke izingubo zokubavikela kodwa engazi lutho ngokusebenza emgodini. 

Ngenkathi esasebenza esitolo, efaka ama-oda ezimpahla, wathola ithuba lokubuza imibuzo. “Ngabanothando, ngathanda ukuya khona ngelinye ilanga,” kuchaza yena.

Ngo-2004 wabona isikhangiso sokuqeqeshelwa ukusebenza emayini, kanti akazange apholise maseko wafaka isicelo. Ngemva kokuqeda ukuqeqeshwa, uBuyisile wacijwa ikhono wagcina esenamava okusebenza emgodini ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.  

UBuyisile wabangowesifazane wesibili ukusebenza emgodini, ehamba ezinyathelweni zomngani wakhe nozakwabo uZinhle Nkabinde, abukela kuyena.

Ekuqaleni, ukungena emgodini kwakuyinselelo kulaba bantu besifazane ababili njengoba lona kungewona umsebenzi othathwa ngokuthi ngowabantu besifazane. Nokho basheshe bawujwayela, basheshe babona ukuthi okudingeka emgodini yizinga lomsebenzi womuntu, hhayi ubulili bakhe.

NgoNtulikazi wango-2022 uBuyisile wenziwe umphathi wezikhathi zokusebenza obambile okwesikhashana  , kwathi emva kwezinyanga ezimbili wagixatshezwa ngalesi sikhundla ngokugcwele.

Akukho okuzovimba uBuyisile njengoba esebheke ukufaka isicelo sethikithi lakhe leMO ukuze aqhubeke nokudlondlobala emsebenzini wakhe.

Njengoba egabe ngamava eminyaka engu-20, uBuyisile uyisibonelo esihle kubantu besifazane abancane abanjengoNondumiso Thwala oneminyaka ewu-29.

UNondumiso, odabuka esigodini saseMashona nozinze e-Outcrop Shaft, ufisa ukushiya amagalelo abonakalayo emkhakheni wezimayini. Wafika eZAC ngoMbasa wango-2022 ezoqeqeshelwa umsebenzi ngemva kokwenza i-Electrical Engineering Elangeni TVET College.

“Sengifunde izinto eziningi njengokuhlola imishini nokufaka ugesi ngaphansi komhlaba. Ekuqaleni, kwakunzima ngoba ngangingakaze ngikwenze kodwa usuku nosuku sekuba lula njengoba sengizethemba futhi nginamava,” kusho yena. 

Uthando lwakhe lukagesi lwaqala eseyintombazane encane. Uma kufa into kagesi kubo, uNondumiso nguye owayezama ukuyilungisa. “Abafowethu babevele babaleke. Ngangisala ngedwa besengizama ukulungisa ugesi, ngakho angiboni mehluko ekusebenzeni namadoda ezimayini,” kusho yena.