Women in the workplace: Nomvuyo Mehlo
In South Africa, August is National Women’s Month. In honour of the women who work at PG Bison, we’re taking this opportunity to profile some of them. Nomvuyo Mehlo, Cluster Liaison Manager, chats to us a bit about what her role entails and what motivates her.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do at PG Bison.
I grew up in a small town in the Eastern Cape, King Williams Town. I’ve been with PG Bison since 2013 – almost 10 years now. I have strong people and relationship skills management. I’ve even started developmental studies as I’ve followed my passion for working with people. I also love dealing with challenges and sorting out problems that could affect the company. My role is dealing with stakeholder relations, which includes community development and corporate social responsibility.
What’s it like being a woman in the manufacturing industry?
The manufacturing industry has mainly been male-dominated for the longest time. When I first moved to North Eastern Cape forests (NECF), I thought it was a boys’ club. What I’ve now started to realise is that we are employing more women, even into technical positions. I have discovered that there are women in the industry, and they do help to bring about stability. Women bring an element of being able to engage positively with other employees. I’d say that women need to be more confident about their roles within the industry.
What motivates you?
I have two reasons why I wake up and come to work. The first one is because I want to create a bright and colourful future for my one and only daughter. And the second reason is that I love my job – I love what I do.
What are your words of encouragement for other women?
It’s a word of encouragement that I keep coming back to for myself too, which is a quote from Michelle Obama: “Don’t be afraid. Be focused. Be determined. Be hopeful. Be empowered.”
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
Recently, my boss told me that I shouldn’t sell myself short and that I should share the good work that I do for PG Bison. I’m proud of the progress we have made since I joined in 2013. We used to struggle with relations with our local communities, especially with burning the plantations. But since 2016, we haven’t had any arson incidents. I’m now working on a new strategy to focus on how we make the communities feel like they are part of PG Bison.
