Elegant Thubelihle Khumalo is not in the least fazed about working in a man’s world.
The mechanic at BMW Ballito nevertheless emphasises her femininity with the words “I am a woman” boldly written across her oil drainer drum.
She jokingly said she wanted the boys in her team to remember she was among them and their equal.
“I want to remind them never to underestimate me.”
The 29-year-old has always had a love for cars and the mechanics of how things work. Growing up in the company of men who never let her off the hook when it came to hard labour, she learned that nothing was reserved for a specific gender.
Born and raised in rural KwaCeza near Ulundi, Khumalo worked on her uncle’s farm and drove tractors, a responsibility that fuelled her love for mechanics.
“When a tractor broke down it was my responsibility to determine what was wrong and fix it,” she said.
Her career choice as a mechanic still came as a shock to her family but when she got her break in 2019 at age 24, undergoing training at BMW and working at the Ballito and Durban branches, she proved her dream was attainable.
“I must confess it is sometimes not easy as a woman, but I just get on with the job because I love it. Learning from others and working smart is a testament to what women can achieve in the industry.”
To flourish, she has had to adjust her lifestyle somewhat. While she wouldn’t mind showing up with nails and eyebrows on fleek, the reality of her career choice demands she keeps things as simple as possible.
“I used to do all the hairstyles and nails stuff but I’m no longer in that zone. I had to prioritise my passion and goals.”
Six years into the job, Khumalo recalls the first time she had to handle a mechanical job on her own. She had to remove and repair a front bumper in two days.
“I was nervous but fortunately nothing went wrong and I completed the job according to specifications.”
Khumalo hopes to see more women on the workshop floor.
“I believe women can contribute a lot to the industry.”
When not getting greased up at her workshop, she enjoys hiking, travelling and yoga.
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