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Personality ProfilePersonality ProfileBusisiwe Christina MpontshameDue to the nature of the Industry,the Hot Dip Galvanizing Fraternityhas always been traditionallymale orientated. The few femalesemployed in the Industry, seldomventure out of AdministrativeOffices. We therefore have thepleasure to present theremarkable story of the onlyknown Female Hot Dipper in thecountry…Fate stepped in when a youngwoman from Kwamashu (a vastsprawling township to the Northof Durban) walked down AberdareDrive in Phoenix Industrial Parkto collect money from herboyfriend to fix her rusty oldsewing machine. Sewing &hawking children’s clothing onthe side of the road had been heronly means of income. As sheapproached the gates of PhoenixGalvanizing, the security guard onduty asked whether she would beinterested in a job. PhoenixGalvanizing at the time waslooking to employ females thatfitted a certain criteria to work onthe factory floor as part of thecompany’s Employment EquityPlan. As fate would have itBusisiwe Christina Mpontshamefitted the criteria & walkedthrough the gates of PhoenixGalvanizing, not knowing thatseizing the opportunity wouldchange her life for the better.January 2003 as a “Jigger”. It wasclear from the minute she set footon the premises that this ladyplanned to go places. Her jiggingcareer lasted all of three months,when she was moved into theWeighing Department at her ownrequest. She explains:” When Iwas outside the plant, I didn’treally know what happenedinside. I figured the only way toget to know the business and theprocess was to move around todifferent departments. I also knewBusi, as she is affectionatelyknown on the PhoenixGalvanizing factory floor, startedher career at the company inVolume 4 Issue 1 2007 Hot Dip Galvanizing Today 39