The Port of Durban’s second Chief Engineer, Angeline Ngiba, has made history as Transnet’s first General Purpose Rating (GPR) employee to advance to the post of chief engineer.
Ngiba, 45, joined Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) with the first group of women in berthing services in 2007 and was later awarded a TNPA bursary to further her studies in engineering. As a GPR employee, she started out performing a variety of duties related to the operation and upkeep of deck department areas and equipment.
Ngiba has now transitioned from being a GPR, after passing her oral exam on the first attempt, to being promoted as a Chief Engineer Port Operations <1 500kw (closed licence).
When she completed her studies, she enrolled in a 12-month training workshop that she managed to complete in a record nine months, demonstrating her resilience and hunger for success.
She then worked tirelessly to get her logbook training signed so she could obtain the appropriate authorisation to operate as a chief engineer.
Born and raised in KwaMaphumulo, in the iLembe District of KwaZulu Natal, Ngiba believes in finishing everything she starts and setting an example for those who aspire to follow in her footsteps.
"Being the firstborn of five children meant that after finishing school I needed to find
work to help my siblings. I had to make it. Working for an organisation like TNPA, where employees are afforded opportunities to grow within the company, and attaining the bursary, meant the organisation believed in my dream, and gave me a stepping stone to reach it,” Ngiba said.
“Having to alternate between my commitments as an employee and studying was not easy, but with a good working environment, I was able to balance both,” she said,
She credits her love of engineering to the late Bheki Luthuli, a marine engineering officer who piqued her interest by explaining that she could merge her two passions, nursing and engineering, by working as a nurse on a tug.
“I arrive at work, wear my uniform, and check on my ‘patients’ (the plant). I then check their levels of temperature, air and oil, and record on the logbook for the ‘doctor’ (the chief engineer) to check,” she added.
Ngiba is a fitness enthusiast who aims to obtain an open license that will allow her to operate as a chief/master.
