Professional Profile

Working in the stainless steel industry is more than making a name for yourself - it’s about the value that that can be added through hard work and passion. An excellent example of this type of dynamism is National Stainless Steel Centre Director Tholwana Mogowane…

What did you study, and what is it about the discipline that attracted you to this field of study?

I studied for a National Diploma in Logistics Management at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University from 2008 to 2011. I believe that continuous education is the key to success and I am also currently undertaking post graduate studies in Management Practices through Henley Business School because my current role is extremely diverse.

Even as a young child, I was always fascinated with understanding the process of movement of raw material from inception to the end-user. I recall once asking my parents where my birthday cake had come from. Perhaps they did not understand my question, but the bakery answer just wasn’t good enough for my inquiring mind. My curiosity extended from where the flour came from to how the cake ended on my table. It is exactly this that attracted me to the stainless steel industry, albeit a passion that was ignited by both time and circumstance.

How did the first years of your career build on what you learnt at university but in a more practical setting? What were the key lessons you learned during this time?

As a traditional African woman, it was difficult to break the bounds of what a woman should be doing. After completing my diploma, I was unemployed as millions generally are after graduating. I eventually applied for a position as a receptionist at National Stainless Steel Centre (NSSC), and I was fortunate to have had an alternate position created for me where my skills, talent, and education were put to better use. It was this that inspired my passion for all things stainless steel, and the manufacturing process still intrigues me to this day.

NSSC is a stainless steel profiler. We get flat sheets from Columbus Stainless, cut bend and roll them, and transform them into beautiful stainless steel products. The process itself is intriguing and I quickly moved up the ranks thanks to hard work and a strong will to learn. My career allowed both movement and growth that gave me insight into the intricacies of the stainless steel industry. I have been exposed to a variety of fields in the industry including sales, procurement, client relations and logistics.

How would you describe a typical day in your current position?

As a Director, the amount of admin is incredible! I generally spend my days planning, organising and ensuring the smooth running of my department. I also head up our retail division and spend much time visiting customers and focussing on relationship building. Transformation is an integral factor in our business, and I drive this through various projects. One of these projects is an educational trust fund for our employees’ children. As a mom of two young girls and a female in a predominantly male industry, I am very passionate about gender diversity and continuously strive to expose our young girls to the opportunities available to them in the steel and fabrications industry.

Why do you feel that stainless steel has such an important role to play in getting South Africa’s economy back on track following the COVID-19 pandemic?

Stainless steel is a very durable, diverse and aesthetically pleasing material. Because of its malleable nature, it can be used in many different ways. Its economic importance is not stressed enough, and more needs to be done to show the value our industry adds to the economy. Job opportunities within the stainless industry abound in various fields, but more importance should be placed on attracting youth to the sector. South Africa is fortunate to have the Columbus Stainless Mill. Neighbouring countries such as Zambia and Namibia are interested in importing quality products from us, and we are able to position ourselves as exporters to the Southern African Development Community region and thus contribute to economic growth as well as employment opportunities. I also believe that there should be more focus placed on monitoring the performance of the stainless steel industry as a whole as this would keep the general public informed.

What do you consider as the most exciting innovations/product developments happening in stainless steel right now and what sectors hold the greatest potential for the use of stainless steel in the future?

Given that we have a proudly South African focus, I believe that we need to create more hype around promoting and stabilising the industry before focusing on future innovation and development in terms of products. The steel industry is a crucial economic contributor that requires the support of our government to strengthen and reconstruct it so that it becomes the formidable force that it can be. We have to make what we have, work, and an exciting development is currently in the pipeline in the form of the Steel Master Plan. This collaboration between the South African government and stakeholders in the industry aims to create more awareness for the industry by highlighting developments and giving more attention to both the internal and external factors that affect the industry.