The South African trucking industry has for some time been male-dominated, with little encouragement or opportunities given to women to infiltrate the tight, male-conquered sector. To eradicate this sort of stereotype, Isuzu Truck South Africa has embarked on a mission to shift any misconceptions, negative connotations and stigma mounting over women being inadequate to take on various roles in the business of trucking.
“Embarking on a mission to introduce and enrol women into the business of trucking, Isuzu Truck South Africa joined forces with the Training Transport Academy to facilitate learnership and provide in-classroom training through qualified assessors,” says Kas Govender, human resources manager, Isuzu Truck South Africa.
After receiving 58 inspiring applications for the learnership, only five women made the cut to the sought-after course that would see them gain a holistic knowledge of all aspects in the business of trucking, while earning the recognised National Certificate: Professional Driving qualification accredited by the Transport Education and Training Authority.
The Training Transport Academy opened its doors to the first female-only intake in February 2016. Six months into the course the programme has begun to yield a new breed of truck drivers armed with extensive knowledge of not just the art of driving, but in-depth expertise on the logistics of the industry.
Neziswa Dungayezi from Eastern Cape is one of the inaugural five women to be enrolled in the Isuzu Truck Women in Trucking business course initiative. After witnessing a female driver behind the wheel of a truck from KwaZulu-Natal delivering goods at a local Spar she worked for, Dungayezi was inspired by the fact that a fellow woman could effectively and effortlessly take on a male role.
“It was at this moment I knew that my gender was the least factor to hold me back from what I had wanted to pursue. Determination, perseverance and encouragement were adequate for me to bolt in headstrong in the male-dominated trucking industry,” she says.
She states that she would encourage other women to pursue any career that their heart desires. “Sadly, being in the industry is often met with a lot of resentment from our male counterparts, who believe that for a woman to take up a career in the trucking industry is mere act of defiance to them,” adds Dungayezi.
