The idea of a career in town and regional planning was introduced to Gugu Sithole-Ngobese by her school principal in her matric year, about 15 years ago.
She enrolled at the Durban Institute of Technology to complete her National Diploma in Town and Regional Planning and, from there, completed her B-Tech Management degree. This was followed by her Master’s Degree in Town and Regional Planning.
“I started my professional career in 2008 and a year later started my own practice, Ziphelele Planning and Environmental Consultancy (ZiPEC). Based on my experiences and through conversations with other women in the industry, I started an initiative called Women in Planning SA (WiPSA).”
What are some of the challenges you, as a woman, face constantly, or have faced?
I have had to constantly prove my worth to peers in the industry, not only men but other women who believe that if a woman is successful she has ‘bought’ her achievements. This is a result of not only being a woman, but a Black African and one of the youngest in the private sector.
This is still a challenge, although we are seeing some changes. As women in the private sector – particularly the built environment sector, we are still not given enough opportunities and the same acknowledgement as our male counterparts. And even when these opportunities are afforded to us, there is not appropriate recognition of our contribution to the sector. It is as if we are fulfilling a mandate of ticking the compliance checklist.
How have you overcome these challenges?
By constantly believing in myself and accepting that every challenge provides an opportunity to learn.
What advice do you have for other women getting started in the industry?
It is important to understand and accept that success does not come overnight. Even now, I am still on a journey of trying to better myself. We should never stop learning and finding better ways to improve our skills. We should strive to be the best at what we do.
Who is your female role model?
I have great respect for all women who are pushing hard to bring about change in the various sectors that they are involved in, and it’s mostly those who are not in a public eye that are doing great things. Several women have helped to sharpen my skills and pushed me to work harder, including my mom from whom I have learnt a lot.
You’ve established a school in a very impoverished community in Msinga – a school that has now grown to be one of the best primary schools in the area. What else do you have planned?
It is also my dream to get funding to establish a technical school in Msinga that will focus on scarce skills from lower to higher grades.
* Gugu Sithole-Ngobese was nominated by the Property360 team for our Women’s Month #SheIsMyRock campaign, a collaboration by IOL and the African News Agency.
We are calling on our readers, corporate partners and staff to nominate a woman who is empowering and uplifting her community, fellow women or her industry.
The #SheIsMyRock nominee will be featured on IOL and you could stand a chance of winning one of our awesome weekly prizes to give to her.
To enter, email us at [email protected] or send a WhatsApp to 074 557 3535, include a picture of the inspirational woman in your life and tell us why she is your rock. Text, audio and video entries will be accepted.
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* Property360’s latest digital magazine celebrates the power of women. Read more here.