Tshepiso Phosa takes the next step
Tshepiso Phosa’s appointment as the new Director of SA Scaffold Mining (Pty) Ltd marks a significant milestone in her already illustrious career.
Phosa’s journey has been one of breaking barriers and defying stereotypes in traditionally male-dominated industries.
In an exclusive interview, Phosa reflects on her motivation for taking on this new role and the excitement it brings.
“In thirteen years of my career, I have always been bold and motivated to take on challenging roles in male-dominated industries. My primary business is petroleum, and I was the youngest in my province to run a filling station at the age of 24 (in 2015, only 20% of women globally were involved in petroleum). I then ventured into mining and IT Solutions companies, in which infrastructure development played a huge role.
She studied various markets in which she is involved to ensure that she identifies gaps that will create more job opportunities for young people and maximize her growth and impact.
“I’m motivated by constantly making impactful changes within my personal space and within the lives of others. Idealised with my vast network and interest in constant growth, this would be a fascinating and new challenge. We always outsourced scaffolding, and I saw the value of women’s involvement.”
Phosa’s vision for SA Scaffold Mining (Pty) Ltd is clear: maintain current contracts, expand the scope of work, and prioritize community development.
SA Scaffold Mining (Pty) Ltd is celebrating 20 years of existence.
It is the largest independent scaffolding manufacturer in South Africa.
They supply the local and international Construction, Retail Tool Hire, Mining, and Civil industries.
“We supply top-quality, locally manufactured scaffold products for hire. Our focus is on safety and availability at all times, no matter the project size or specification.
“Our Scaffolding Staff comprises Qualified and CETA accredited Erectors, Inspectors, Supervisors, SHE reps, and Scaffold Labour. All training is provided by CETA-accredited bodies that adhere to the necessary unit standards.
“Our experienced and qualified Site Managers manage our sites to ensure that our customers reach their deadlines and stay within their programs.”
Phosa emphasises that “all entrepreneurs must play a role in skills development and education.”
“We must also take care of communities in all provinces where we operate.”
As she steps into her new role, Phosa envisions bringing changes and improvements to the company.
“More community involvement, new marketing strategies within various markets across Africa, promote the success of the business, inspire to thrive for maximum results consistently, share unique strategies, build more confidence within the market for our brand, vision and what we project as in any business there are misconceived ideas about an organisation due to lack of insight about the organisational culture,” she states.
With her background in entrepreneurship and leadership, Phosa aims to foster a culture of innovation and growth within the company.
She explains: “I plan on introducing new innovative ideas to attract a different clientele, attending more events with our staff and directors, which will give us more insight into new products, more in-house training, and set new short-term and long-term goals.”
Phosa is confident that any challenges or obstacles the company may face can be overcome through independent thinking.
“Facing challenges head-on as efficiently and effectively as possible, no procrastination, handling internal and external challenges with the utmost respect at all times, and keeping my word on all commitments made, transparency and honesty, and ethical conduct are key in any business.”
She furthermore said it is vital that where mistakes are made, we admit them, learn from each other as colleagues, learn from our various clients, and ensure that we always look for win-win solutions that serve our organisation and clients across the globe.
Phosa sees SA Scaffold Mining (Pty) Ltd contributing significantly to the construction market.
“Strategic partnerships and collaborations across Africa are already in motion,” she reveals.
“We aim to be at the forefront of industry evolution.”
When asked about her personal journey and the challenges she faced, Phosa shares her story of resilience.
“One challenge that stands out for me was when my site manager stole money from my filling station,” she recalls.
“It taught me the importance of strategic mentorship and rational decision-making under pressure.
“You need to stay calm and make rational decisions that benefit your business and staff.”
Phosa’s commitment to empowering women and promoting inclusivity in the workplace is unwavering.
She said she had always been a businesswoman from the humble age of 19.
“My adversities distracted me and hindered my progress, but I’m so grateful that I faced such challenges as it taught me about my strengths, helped me to develop my weaknesses, meet new people, and realise my true purpose.”
Phosa said she identified a gap in the field where she believed she had the skills to help develop and promote products differently.
“I bought my first filling station at 24 years old after being granted funding by Paraselene Capital Management. I introduced dynamic marketing strategies that pushed the station’s sales to 315,000 liters within nearly two months, almost double what it was pumping.
“I’ve always believed that I’m capable of anything that I put my mind to as I believe in my higher power and what God says about me, not the world.”
It is essential for Phosa that her role aligns with her broader vision for gender equality.
“By subcontracting more local companies led by women and fostering diversity, we can create a more inclusive environment,” she said.
As she embarks on this new chapter, Tshepiso Phosa’s journey continues to inspire and empower, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations of women in business.
Her advice for other women aspiring to break into industries where they are underrepresented is to keep showing up, do your research, dress the way you want to be addressed, never give up, and, importantly, read more industry-related books.
“Be innovative, be inspired by your colleagues, know your value, invest in yourself, sharpen your strength, respect the environment, be tactful, bold, and deliver, put in double the amount required from you, and ensure that you pray and ask God for wisdom to execute what you have planned to do within the environment you are in.”
Phosa is a businesswoman and a devoted mother who recently gave birth to a beautiful little boy. She said she recently got engaged but wishes to keep her life private.
“I just gave birth to my beautiful little prince and look forward to having more children. I want to expand my national footprint in the fields I work in, grow my business, and create more job opportunities to ensure I contribute towards decreasing the unemployment rate in South Africa, specifically for the youth. I push gender equality, and therefore, the platforms and opportunities I create are for all genders.
“My aspirations are to continue to build my own legacy and my family’s legacy, to become one of Africa’s top ten most successful women, to make it to Forbes, and to adopt 50 schools and 50 orphanages by providing them with education, access to information, and food sponsorships.”
She would like to leave a legacy of empowering young women and men by creating opportunities for them to shine.
Phosa is also hoping to provide the country with relevant energy efficiency projects through Spectrum Utility Management, which she is also a sales director.
“I want to fuel society by building schools, renovating schools in rural areas, and equipping the teachers with the relevant tools to bring about change and groom the future generation of our country and world.
According to Phosa she wants to leave a legacy of a society that cares and is not afraid to work hard for what it wants.
“I want to ensure that my children know that humility is power under control and that pride is power out of control.”
“Also, to ensure that my children are compassionate in all that they do and treat people like people with respect and love, which is what fuels me to be a better person. No one is perfect, but I strive for perfection daily.”
In her endeavors, Phosa remains dedicated to fostering compassion, humility, and respect, both in her personal life and professional pursuits, as she works towards leaving a lasting impact on society.