“Forestry found me,” says Nonkululeko Ntinga, a 33-year-old nurseries manager at Mondi South Africa responsible for nurturing and dispatching 20 million plants per year. Thanks to a maths and science enrichment programme, a female mentor and an exposure to the opportunities offered by forestry and paper companies, she is one of the many women are encouraging others to follow a career in the industry.
Ntinga explains in a video produced by ‘She is Forestry’ that some of the challenges she had overcome in her career were linked to her education. “Having gone to a school that didn’t have strong maths and science teaching, I never thought that this is where I would end up.” Through Protec (Programme for Technological Careers), Ntinga was attracted by the array of maths and science focused careers on offer in the forestry industry. “Tree breeding, foresters, operations research scientist, even an accountant!”
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2023 Global Gender Gap Report, women make up only 29.2% of all Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) workers and almost half (49.3%) of total employment across non-STEM occupations. The report also states that 42.7% of South African STEM graduates are female. The forest and forest products sector, one of South Africa’s essential industries, has however been empowering women for many years to find their place among the trees, in research laboratories, in boardrooms or on a production line.
Speaking at the recent ‘She is Forestry’ event, CEO of Mondi South Africa Viv McMenamin, said, “When I look at the change that has happened across the industry in two decades, I find it truly remarkable. Everywhere I look, I see forestry creating opportunities for young women to take up STEM careers and they are grabbing them with both hands. We still have a lot of work to do but the progress being made is encouraging.”
Jane Molony, executive director of the Paper Manufacturers Association of South Africa (PAMSA) agrees, “The strides that women have made in this industry makes me excited for what’s to come. You just have to look at the diversity of roles to know that the old trope that it is a man’s world is on its way out the door.
“For young women considering STEM career paths, the forest and forest product sector presents a canvas of possibilities, and we are fortunate to have a trove of stories and examples of how women are thriving in their roles and contributing meaningfully to their businesses, peers and wider communities.”
Closing the gap
Mondi South Africa’s Doni Sithole holds qualifications in forestry, financial management, business management, and international leadership development, and has spent her career fighting fires – in the field and figuratively – breaking barriers and mentoring other female foresters.
Sithole has a list of accomplishments too long to mention, but being told by her male colleagues that they will gladly report to her as a manager any time the opportunity presents itself, “alone is an achievement”.
Engineering a path for women
Mahlogonolo Precious Mafela, process engineer in training at Mpact and a student in PAMSA’s Master of Engineering bursary programme, is still fairly new to the working world, but loves the unpredictable nature of her job. Mafela encourages women to pursue a career in engineering. “I am an example of the many opportunities that exist for female engineers who are interested in manufacturing, particularly paper manufacturing.”
Kelly Glen, technical manager at Sappi’s Tugela Mill in the northern KZN, has worked across various parts of the process engineering pipeline. Her advice to women entering the industry is: “Take your time to explore your options and grab opportunities to job shadow, as these will help give a better understanding of what the role entails.”
Nine years ago, Khethiwe Mbhamali of Mpact’s Mkhondo Mill started as an apprentice and after relentlessly pursuing continuous learning and acquiring two decades of experience as an instrument mechanician, she is now a maintenance planner. As someone who understands that a good education and the necessary qualification will unlock doors, Mbhamali is completing her second degree, in project management.
Beyond the trees
The forest sector is about more than farming trees and making paper: it spans an entire chain of roles from processing wood into pulp and paper products, to office-based and business functions, and finding value in what mills previously regarded as “waste” streams.
Linnell Govender, product manager for Sappi’s Biotech Lignin, began her career as a laboratory intern at a chemicals company. Her research and development experience in bio-processing and agro-processing merges with her process engineering expertise. “I am an example of how being open-minded and having self-confidence can take you far in your career, regardless of your gender.”
Ntinga echoes the sentiment of countless women in the sector that mentorship and role models are key to shifting male-dominated paradigms. “I’ve not only been able to establish myself in the sector, but also put myself in a position to be able to help other women thrive.”
Once relegated to a few roles, women now hold diverse positions across the industry – from research scientists and forestry contractors to policymakers and CEOs. The industry has become a nursery for young talented women interested to grow their STEM and a host of other careers.
“It’s not just a job, it’s a platform to shape the future of our planet,” says Molony.