Businesswoman Fezeka Mvulana’s fearlessness has earned her a reputation in the engineering sector.
Mvulana, 48, spearheads AKM & Associates, a specialist electrical and mechanical engineering services company.
Fighting stereotypes about women and having to work twice as hard to prove herself has been a key part of her career, which started 25 years ago in Mthatha.
“My professional journey started with the department of public works building section in Mthatha. I have never looked back since,” she said.
“My engineering passion started from envying males in the field and thinking I could also make it as I have the brains to grasp mathematical and science concepts.
“Our business, which was more of an adventure, started as an act of affirmative action in 2003 with three white male partners who were 20 years older than me — [it was] a complete culture shock for me,” she said.
Originally Albrecht Knight Mvulana & Associates, the firm is solely managed by Mvulana after three of the partners resigned in 2017.
She kept the acronym AKM and forged ahead.
Coming into a male-dominated industry has not been without challenges.
“I would sometimes be overlooked during technical discussions,” she said.
“The stereotype would be that females don’t know what they are talking about — whatever one says is scrutinised before being accepted.”
The mother of three said women also carried more family responsibilities, which is an impediment to their growth.
“Some of the impediments that hinder women include striking a balance between career and family.
“Engineering involves extensively long hours in research and execution, travelling as well as staying abreast of the industry.”
Her advice to women in engineering is: “Set goals, focus, strategise, develop yourself and don’t allow anyone to put you down.”
sibiyan@sowetan.co.za
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