Women in Mining – Engineering solutions through collaboration, innovation and resilience

For Lerato Sebata, Senior Sales Engineer at Multotec, mining has always been more than just a career. It is an industry that sparked her curiosity from a young age and continues to challenge and inspire her every day.

Growing up in Vanderbijlpark, a town known for its rich iron and steel heritage, Sebata developed an early interest in understanding how raw materials are processed. That curiosity led her to study Metallurgical Engineering at the Vaal University of Technology, through a Multotec bursary, before embarking on a career that has come full circle.

Today, Sebata manages Multotec's screening media and process solutions portfolio across the Limpopo Eastern Limb's ferrochrome and platinum group metals operations. Working closely with mining customers, she helps identify process improvements that increase plant efficiency, reduce downtime and improve productivity, while building strong, long-term relationships with customers and industry partners.

Reflecting on her career, Sebata credits Multotec's graduate programme with giving her a strong technical foundation. Starting as a Graduate Engineer in Training, she gained valuable experience in research and development under the mentorship of Christina Ramotsabi, Product Manager for Spirals at Multotec, where she built her knowledge of metallurgy, process development and metallurgical accounting before gaining further experience in the broader metallurgical industry. Returning to Multotec as a Sales Engineer in 2021, she has continued to grow professionally, most recently being promoted to Senior Sales Engineer.

One of her proudest achievements has been helping to grow Multotec's footprint within one of South Africa's fastest-growing commodity sectors. Through dedication, technical expertise and close customer engagement, she has helped expand the company's installed base while delivering practical solutions that create real value for customers.

Among the projects she is most proud of is a chrome beneficiation solution that addressed pump downtime caused by unwanted foreign objects entering process circuits. By implementing Multotec's screening media upstream of processing tanks, customers were able to reduce downtime and improve plant efficiency. For Sebata, projects like these highlight the importance of understanding a customer's challenges and delivering solutions that make a measurable difference.

While Sebata has built a successful career in mining, she acknowledges that working in a traditionally male-dominated industry has presented its challenges. Establishing technical credibility and ensuring her voice was heard required confidence, perseverance and a commitment to continuous learning. She believes that consistently delivering results, remaining true to herself and learning from mentors has earned her the respect of colleagues and customers over the years.

Her leadership style is centred on collaboration, support and accountability. Sebata believes the strongest outcomes are achieved when people work together with trust, open communication and a shared goal. She also credits the collaborative culture within the Multotec sales team for helping them grow the company's market presence and installed base across the region.

Although encouraged by the increasing number of women entering technical, operational and leadership roles within mining, Sebata believes there is still progress to be made. She says the industry should continue investing in mentorship programmes, leadership development and inclusive workplace policies to ensure women have equal opportunities to grow and succeed. Greater female representation in decision-making roles, she believes, will bring new perspectives and contribute to a stronger, more sustainable mining industry.

For young women considering careers in mining or engineering, Sebata's advice is simple: believe in your abilities, remain curious and never stop learning. She encourages aspiring professionals to seek mentorship, embrace challenges and develop confidence through preparation and experience.

"Mining is changing, and so are the opportunities for women," she says. "I hope to see an industry where women are recognised not because targets need to be met, but because of the value they bring through their skills, knowledge and leadership."