Conducive environment for women to thrive at Multotec
As published in Modern Mining.
Although the mining industry is still grappling with gender disparity, Multotec’s Refentse Molehe, Este du Toit and Jeantelle Rust believe that things are rapidly changing across the industry at large, and there is a big drive to give women the platform to exhibit their capabilities and the voice to be heard in the workplace.
While the mining industry remains male-dominated, women are beginning to find their place in the sector. Over the past decade, South Africa has seen more women enter the mining industry. Speaking to Modern Mining, Multotec’s Refentse Molehe, Este du Toit and Jeantelle Rust detail their journey in the industry and how they continue to find their place in a male-dominated environment.
Commenting on some of the common challenges women still face in the industry, Jeantelle Rust, manager test work at Multotec’s technology division, says trying to break into a male-dominated industry has not been an easy task. “It was a challenge to get my colleagues to gain trust in my knowledge and abilities, especially at the beginning of my career. Over the years this has subsided, and today I am very fortunate to work in an environment in which I am taken seriously as an engineer, and where I am supported, mentored, coached and encouraged to grow,” says Rust.
“Starting out, it was necessary to prove myself. This meant that I had to get dirty. I was open to learning from absolutely everyone, and I was taught to respect experience, not qualifications. I am fortunate to have great mentors in my career, both male and female. The guidance helped tremendously. The most important thing that I have learnt along the way is to raise your hand for opportunities and make yourself heard. Communication is key, and nothing should be assumed,” adds Rust.
Refentse Molehe, process engineer at Multotec, says her appearance and personality, “which is girlish, bubbly and sweet” is sometimes mistaken for not being willing to get dirty. “There is a perception that a woman should change her appearance to fit into the mould of a ‘typical engineer’,” she says.
“A woman doesn’t necessarily need to change how she looks to get the work done, and to do it well. It’s important to be authentic to oneself and focus on achieving the set team goal, with your hair and nails done. I am a no-nonsense person and if I feel mistreated, I will address it immediately. I will not take lightly being unfairly treated because I am a young female in what is a male-dominated industry. We all deserve to be in the mining industry despite how we look and sound. It is all about adding value to the team and doing it while respecting each other,” asserts Molehe.
The same view is shared by Este du Toit, GM of the Cyclones Division, who says that the biggest challenge for women is to prove themselves and show that they are willing and able. Key to sidestepping these challenges for Du Toit was building relationships and trust within the company.
For Molehe, gender has never been a barrier for her because of the learning environment fostered by her tertiary institution, University of Pretoria. “Everyone in the class was seen as a student engineer and there were no limitations based on background or gender. Perhaps the lecturers were intentional about it, so I didn’t think I would have to ‘break’ into the male-dominated environment,” she says.
Conducive environment
Multotec has over the years created an environment in which women can flourish. Molehe has in recent years witnessed more women being given opportunities in senior positions, which they duly deserved. “I have also seen how active the company is in protecting women against any form of discrimination in the workplace,” she says.
“I have been fortunate to have male colleagues who believe in equality. I have one who, in every situation where I felt unfairly addressed, has always reminded me to stay true to my values. He has always encouraged me to work independently and not to allow my gender to be a limiting factor in the work environment. He really believes that women and men are equal. This was pivotal when I started working as an engineer at Multotec,” says Molehe.
Du Toit says there are many fantastic mentors within Multotec, and all one has to do is to ask for the help they need. “It is also important to listen to the more experienced colleagues and not to act like one knows everything. Management at Multotec will always help you if you approach them with the right attitude,” she says.
Multotec, adds Rust, regularly recognises and celebrates women in the company. For example, women are always prominently featured in the company’s internal newsletter, The Grapevine. The company also makes a conscious effort to celebrate Women’s Month.
“There is also a shift in the number of women featuring in top management. Things are rapidly changing in the industry as a whole, and there is a big drive to make women seen and heard. I would like to reiterate that this does not take anything away from the men in the industry, it just gives women a platform to also contribute to the discussions and developments,” says Rust.
“We are living in exciting times. As women, we have a lot to offer in terms of the way we think and act. The abilities of men and women differ, as do the abilities of each individual. We all have something unique to offer to this diverse industry, and the industry needs to capitalise on that. Eventually, we need to recognise individuals and not their gender. At the end of the day, we need to respect each other and build each other up. There is a place for everyone in this world, and we should make room for one another. Teamwork makes the dream work,” concludes Rust.
Refentse Molehe, process engineer at Multotec
Molehe graduated with a BEng in Metallurgical Engineering from the University of Pretoria in 2015, before completing her honours in Engineering and Technology Management from the same university in 2018. She is currently about to complete her Masters in Technology and Innovation Management this year from the same institution.
Molehe joined Multotec as a graduate engineer in research & development in 2016. She currently works as a process engineer, specifically dealing with gravity separation technology and equipment.
“My role as a process engineer entails the correct selection and sizing of equipment for customers’ applications and providing solutions to customers based on my minerals processing expertise, as well as plant optimisation and improvement of current technology offerings through product development.”
Este du Toit, GM Cyclones Division at Multotec
Du Toit joined Multotec in 2010 as financial manager, before being appointed commercial manager at Multotec Process Equipment to gain more knowledge of the business and the products. In 2018, she was appointed to the role of general manager of the cyclones division. She holds a B.Com Accounting and is a qualified chartered accountant. During her time at Multotec, she has graduated with a Master of Business Leadership from Unisa.
“My role at Multotec is to lead the cyclones division and to mentor and develop our young talent and ensure the business grows. My scope is to manage our sales division, drawing office, planning and production. The ultimate goal is to keep our customers satisfied as all other objectives will flow from that.”
Jeantelle Rust, Manager: Test Work at Multotec’s Technology Division
Rust graduated from the North-West University with a Bachelor of Engineering – Chemical Engineering with specialisation in mineral processing. Subsequently, she started her career as a graduate metallurgist at Anglo American Thermal Coal. After completing her graduate programme, she was offered employment at TWP, a prominent design house in Johannesburg.
She currently fulfils the role of research and development engineer in Multotec’s technology division. During the course of her career, she has also completed her graduate Diploma in Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand, a Master’s Degree in Chemical Engineering from the North-West University, and she is currently enrolled for an Advanced Project Management programme at the North-West University Business School.
“For me, it is vital to keep learning. Whether we realise it or not, we all learn something new every day, and learning should be a continuous journey throughout one’s time on this earth. I am very fortunate to work for a company that encourages and supports personal and professional growth and development.”
“Those who know me are well aware that I am proud of my role as research and development engineer at Multotec. There are many aspects to my work, such as being the safety supervisor and GMR 2(7)a for my department, mentoring, coaching, networking and training. I really enjoy being involved in the careers of young engineers, and frankly, anybody who is willing to learn and grow. In my current role, I mainly oversee minerals processing test work done for customers in the mining industry. I interact with customers on a daily basis, and it is quite exciting as no two projects are the same. Each project is unique and adds to the wealth of experience and knowledge that I have gained since joining Multotec.”