ABOUT 16 years after\u00a0graduating as one of the\u00a0first three black female\u00a0chemical engineering students,\u00a0her alma mater \u2013\u00a0the University of Pretoria\u00a0\u2013 seemed the most obvious\u00a0place to meet Honey\u00a0Mamabolo.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tuks was where it all\u00a0began for the 41-year-old\u00a0who went against her parents\u2019\u00a0wishes. They wanted\u00a0her to study medicine.\u00a0\u201cI have always been a bit\u00a0of a rebel. Not in a reckless\u00a0way, but I\u2019ve always charted\u00a0my own course,\u201d Mamabolo\u00a0says.\u00a0One of the defining\u00a0moments in her first yearwas getting zero for a chemistry\u00a0test, a subject she had\u00a0excelled in at high school.\u00a0She immediately sought\u00a0help from another student,\u00a0a certain Ingrid Jones, who\u00a0had obtained 88%. This\u00a0helped her make the grade\u00a0and not be forced to change\u00a0course in June that year.\u00a0The humility it took her\u00a0to ask for help turned out\u00a0to be one of her secrets to\u00a0success. \u201cHave the humility\u00a0to ask questions when you\u00a0don\u2019t know,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Now the chief executive\u00a0of Thebe Unico, a chemical\u00a0manufacturer for the automotive\u00a0sector and subsidiary\u00a0of Thebe Investment\u00a0Corporation, Mamabolo\u00a0still abides by the same\u00a0principle.\u00a0\u201cI have even worked in\u00a0industries I didn\u2019t have a\u00a0qualification for,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
A case in point was the six\u00a0years she spent in the banking\u00a0industry.\u00a0Her ability to leverage\u00a0skills developed in one\u00a0industry and adaptability\u00a0to new environments have\u00a0put her in good stead as she\u00a0traversed various industries\u00a0ranging from mining,\u00a0banking, energy, finance\u00a0and manufacturing.<\/p>\n
Nine months after joining\u00a0Thebe Investments\u00a0Corporation, she was\u00a0seconded to Thebe Unico\u00a0as chief executive and was\u00a0permanently appointed to\u00a0the position in January.\u00a0\u201cIt is a challenging\u00a0role which requires discernment\u00a0as you work\u00a0with people from various\u00a0backgrounds, and how you\u00a0carry yourself is important.\u00a0You need to be humble,\u00a0collaborative, yet decisive,\u00a0and at the same time understanding\u00a0your role as a\u00a0leader.\u201d\u00a0She believes the true\u00a0mark of a leader is an\u00a0ability to develop others,\u00a0unearthing potential in\u00a0people.<\/p>\n
Mamabolo is also a wife\u00a0and mother of two teenage\u00a0children. Based in Durban,\u00a0while the rest of her family is\u00a0in Centurion, is challenging.\u00a0However, her support structure\u00a0is what keeps her going.\u00a0\u201cSupport is key for me. I\u00a0have a great support structure\u00a0in my spouse and my\u00a0helper of 11 years; without\u00a0them I would not have\u00a0managed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her mother recently\u00a0received a PhD at the\u00a0same university and having\u00a0watched how hard her\u00a0parents worked, Mamabolo\u00a0hopes to pass on the same work\u00a0ethic to her children.\u00a0\u201cHard work beats talent\u00a0when talent doesn\u2019t work\u00a0hard\u201d is a quote she lives by.<\/p>\n
A trip down memory\u00a0lane on the campus leads\u00a0her to the familiar face of\u00a0Professor Uys Grimsehl.\u00a0After a brief encounter\u00a0with Grimsehl, promises\u00a0are made to be in touch for\u00a0a coffee date. \u201cHe was my\u00a0favourite professor.\u00a0He loved us and wanted\u00a0us to succeed.”<\/p>\n
“The environment at the university was one that\u00a0allowed me to thrive,\u201d she\u00a0reminisces.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ABOUT 16 years after\u00a0graduating as one of the\u00a0first three black female\u00a0chemical engineering students,\u00a0her alma mater \u2013\u00a0the University of Pretoria\u00a0\u2013 seemed the most obvious\u00a0place to meet Honey\u00a0Mamabolo.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1480,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"image","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1479","post","type-post","status-publish","format-image","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-people","post_format-post-format-image"],"yoast_head":"\n