CELEBRATING WOMEN’S MONTH IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR – PHOPHI NEMATANGALE’S INSPIRING JOURNEY

Caption: Phophi Nematangale.

In celebration of Women’s Month, we spotlight Phophi Nematangale, a trailblazer in the construction industry, whose journey is marked by passion, resilience, and a commitment to excellence.

With over 20 years of experience in the built environment, her career began as an apprenticeship trainee. She progressed from a junior technician to a technical supervisor, then to a projects operations manager, and ultimately to the managing director of her own company.

In 2003, Transnet Properties advertised apprenticeship posts, and Nematangale seized the opportunity by applying. She was accepted into an apprenticeship training programme for NQF Level 2 to 4, spending three and a half years training at ACRA. During her on-the-job training, she worked alongside experienced technicians in HVAC, where she developed a profound love and passion for the field. Her curiosity and drive led her to delve deeper into HVAC, solving complex issues even as a learner, which revealed her true capabilities.

Today, Nematangale owns a construction company specialising in the HVAC sector, focusing on new installations, servicing, and maintenance of various systems and equipment. As the sole managing director, she oversees all aspects of running the company. Additionally, Nematangale serves on the SARACCA National Executive Committee as the Gauteng region chairperson.

Phophi’s academic credentials include completing NQF Level 4 and obtaining a diploma in HVAC. She also holds the SARACCA safe handling license and is an SAQCC Gas Authorised Practitioner.

Despite facing challenges during her training—where some technicians viewed HVAC as a male-dominated industry and doubted her abilities— Nematangale proved herself by handling tasks such as compressor installation, fault finding, copper to copper brazing, and carrying heavy equipment. She is excited about innovations in HVAC, particularly the integration with building management systems, VRV systems, and geothermal heat pumps.

Nematangale describes her company’s work environment as warm and encouraging, with a culture that promotes hard work and self-improvement at all levels. Among her significant achievements, she is particularly proud of refurbishing chillers for the Department of Labour (Laboria Building in Pretoria), which are still running efficiently to date. Her company has also serviced various public sector buildings and installations, including Bellville Cape Town Clinic and The Chris Hani Baragawanth Academic Hospital.

Although she has not yet initiated programs aimed at promoting diversity and inclusion in HVAC, Nematangale is planning to introduce HVAC as a career option at school level in the Vhembe district and other local areas in Venda.

Balancing work and personal life is essential for Nematangale. She maintains a schedule for meetings and personal activities, finds gym workouts to be a helpful stress reliever, and spends time with family and friends during work gaps.

“I envision a future where more women are informed about and encouraged to pursue careers in HVAC”. Nematangale believes that by introducing the industry at school level, more women will become engineers, project managers, and technicians in the next decade.