Phylicia sets the record straight
“Men can be the heads all around the world, but never forget that the neck controls which direction the head moves. We have the power to influence the world and we should do so positively.”
This month Rekord profiles some remarkable women who are striving to make a difference in the community.
We look at their triumphs, the difficulties they face and what they are learning from life.
Being a resident engineer in the construction of the Tshwane Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) has not always been easy for 30-year-old Phyilicia Moseamo.
“From the moment I walked on site, I got a weird reception as if people did not expect to see a woman engineer. I guess in their minds men made better engineers,” she explained.
Moseamo worked on the line 2A route which runs from the city centre to Hatfield.
“It was exciting and stressful; it was not an easy project. Being the only woman and the youngest was challenging.”
Almost every man involved in the construction of the BRT thought Moseamo could not do the job because of her age and the fact that she is a woman.
She was introduced to the world of engineering by her high school teacher after a science lesson on generating electricity.
“Growing up, we were told that electricity and water were not supposed to meet. On a particular day during our science lesson, our teacher taught about generating electricity and water was one of the molecules of generating water. I was fascinated by that and I wanted to find out how that can happen,” she said.
Throughout her high school career, Moseamo never got to find out how water was used to generate electricity until she got to university.
She said one problem she often faced in the engineering field was men looking down on her because she was a woman.
“I had to stand my ground and be firm with them before they started taking me seriously and saw that I can actually do my job,” Moseamo explained.
Being feminine in the engineering world is possible, but Moseamo finds it hard to wear make-up and high heels often.
“I do try to look good in a pair of heels and make-up, but it just is not in me. I grew up a tomboy so I cannot really say it is impossible to be feminine. I have seen woman engineers who show up on sight with a weave and make-up on.”
Although Moseamo is a workaholic, she has stopped taking work home.
“In the past, I did not have time to relax and enjoy my space because I was always working, even on weekends. But now I have started living a little and relaxing,” she said.
“Although I relapse once in a while. When I have a lot of catching up to do, I do take some work home.”
She feels the emancipation of women is on track but far from being where it should be.
“There is a lot of difference, but we still have a long way to go.”
Her message to women is that they should never forget to use their power of influence.
“Men can be the heads all around the world, but never forget that the neck controls which direction the head moves. We have the power to influence the world and we should do so positively.”
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