Ndivhuwo makes Canyon history as company’s first woman Engineer

Canyon Coal Engineer, Ndivhuwo Rachel Makahane

Gugulethu Colliery celebrated Women’s Month with the theme “Breaking Ground, Breaking Barriers,’ a statement that symbolizes the strides made by women in mining and resonates with Ndivhuwo Rachel Makahane’s own story.  Ndivhuwo joined the company recently, becoming the first woman Engineer to be employed by Canyon Coal. More than 21 women joined Gugulethu Colliery within its first five months of operation, including the mine’s General Manager Jarmi Steyn, setting the tone for inclusivity.

Ndivhuwo is excited to be joining the team. “I am humbled that I can be in this position. This means I have a greater responsibility ahead of me to inspire others and show that women have the technical skills and the knowledge to make it in the industry,” she says. Ndivhuwo graduated with a National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Vaal University of Technology in 2016 and proceeded to do her internship after that.

Her desire to pursue a career in mining grew stronger with time and she decided to qualify as an engineer. Now, she looks forward to learning from her experience at Canyon. “I am already hitting the ground running and my goal right now for Gugulethu is to make sure that we stay on point in terms of health & safety, compliance and we maintain a good standard, “she says. 

Women make up 12% of the mining workforce in South Africa according to the Minerals Council SA. Although the number is relatively low compared to men, Ndivhuwo believes the gradual changes mean the sector is moving in the right direction when it comes to transformation. “The misconceptions that a women’s place is not supposed to be in a mine is changing. To be honest, I think the mining industry is getting used to the fact that we will be seeing a lot more women in future, she remarks.

Ndivhuwo is also passionate about community outreach and looks forward to encouraging young people to consider careers in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) industries. She believes that an empowered woman, empowers others, and her focus will not only be on mentoring women, but she hopes to reach youth in general.