SA women make history in marine industry

With Women’s Day
being celebrated next
Tuesday (August 9),
it is highly topical to
headline three Durban
women who have made
history by becoming
Africa’s first black,
female marine pilots to
obtain an open licence
that enables them to
navigate ships of any
size and type into South
African waters.
Not only are Precious
Dube, Bongiwe
Mbambo and Pinky
Zungu three of only five
female marine pilots
in South Africa, but
their open licence gives
them authority to guide
anything from the very
smallest vessels to the
biggest supertankers
and container ships into
port.
The three were
among the earliest
development candidates introduced by Transnet
National Ports Authority in
the late 90s to encourage
more black participation in
the country’s ports.
According to Tau
Morwe, Chief Executive
of Transnet National
Ports Authority, the
achievements of the three
illustrated the successes
of the port authority’s
maritime sector, which
used to be closed off to the
historically disadvantaged,
including women, but this
is changing as women
are now found across all
levels of the country’s
maritime sector, from
crane operators to senior
executives.
Dube from Inanda
Newtown was the first
female to qualify with
an open licence and said
she was very excited
when told of her historic
achievement.
“The captains of foreign
ships can be very sceptical
when you’re a woman
because it’s not common
for them to see a female
marine pilot, although I’ve
heard there are a few in the
United States and possibly
Australia,” she said.
Mbambo, 29, is
originally from Esikhawini
on the North Coast of KZN
but now lives in Glenwood,
Durban. She laughs when
she recalls the amazement
of the captain of the first
vessel she guided in after
qualifying as an open
licence pilot recently.
“The captain actually
took photographs and
recorded a video while I
was performing my job
alongside him. It was very
funny,” she says.
Zungu was the latest
to qualify and echoed the
proud sentiments of her
peers.