PROFILES

BRINGING A NEW DYNAMIC TO BUILDING

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) indicates that 48 per cent of South Africa’s construction companies are owned by women. A promising sign in an industry that has traditionally been heavily male-dominated. By PUSELETSO MOMPEI

Lettie Mashau is the CEO of Motheo Construction Group, a company that has developed into a leading, mainly black female-owned and managed construction company. Mashau, who holds a diploma in building and civil engineering, has been a part of the Motheo family for 14 years.

Mashau says she chose to pursue a career in construction because it was different and presented a challenge, being a mainly male-dominated industry. “I also wanted to do something meaningful for our communities. Having grown up in the township of Malamulele, Limpopo, it’s fulfi lling to be building houses and community facilities that change our people’s dignity.”

SECRETS TO HER SUCCESS

Mashau says that for women to succeed in the fi eld they must recognise their worth and abilities. This will show their peers that they are confi dent and someone who can be counted on to get the job done. “No one will appreciate your contributions until you appreciate them yourself. Know that you are a unique and valuable part of the team offering a previously missing perspective and skill set.”

She says understanding where your strengths lie is essential to propel you forward in your career. “In a male-dominated industry, a woman can bring unique skills that are not only advantageous to her, but also the entire company.” Mashau urges women to continue to search for ways to further their education and knowledge, adding that it is important not to dismiss constructive criticism along the way. “You don’t have to know it all right now – remain open to learning new things from seminars or classes. Change can be painful, but it is required to reach new levels. Change will force you to adapt, grow and further yourself within your career.

“A good attitude will generate goodwill and boost morale among your employees and peers. Focus on the victories, not the defeats.”

LEADING THROUGH CRISIS

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the construction industry. It has added pressure on an already pressurised economy and forced companies to adapt and evolve. It has also challenged the industry to change to remain relevant and sustainable,” says Mashau.

She admits that Motheo has not come out of this situation unscathed. “However,” she explains, “the company continues to show resilience. Thanks to the quick thinking, planning and agility of management, decisions were taken to ensure that Motheo retains its staff and operations. The company has adapted to the current ‘new’ way of operating and navigating through this pandemic. “The crisis presents us with opportunity – innovation is born amid chaos.” It also shows us the weight of humanity, Mashua claims. “It reminds us of who we are. As individuals, we are fragile; our strength lies in being part of a community.” Her top priorities for the business are diversifi cation, new markets and restructuring management. “In the highly competitive construction industry, service delivery is of utmost importance. We provide our services nationally across South Africa and have offi ces in four provinces. A new management structure will allow Motheo to expand its presence and Lettie Mashau services within all nine provinces,” she explains. Under her guidance, the company has embarked on a diversifi cation strategy to achieve balanced growth across the board. “Growth has its risks, but the right strategy can deliver stability, security and long-term profi ts. We have assessed the business’ current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and are well equipped to handle them. We have the capacity to contribute to the infrastructure space and various construction sectors including building and civil construction, electrical reticulation, fi bre reticulation and residential accommodation. “We’re committed to making a meaningful contribution towards the company’s bottom line and will form strategic pillars for its next level of growth.”

“A good attitude will generate goodwill and boost morale among your employees and peers. Focus on the victories, not the defeats.” – Lettie Mashau, Motheo Construction Group

PERSERVERANCE ALWAYS PAYS OFF

Grany Letswalo is a service

administration manager at Shumani Industrial Equipment, which distributes a broad range of quality industrial and construction equipment.

Armed with a diploma in fi nancial management, Letswalo started her career as a credit controller and now oversees the company’s maintenance department. She leads a team of service controllers who ensure that all machinery is serviced and load-tested timeously.

She says that to succeed in the fi eld a woman must have passion. “You have to love what you are doing, look forward to doing it and enjoy doing it. Striving to learn more, dedication and a little extra effort go a long way.”

Letswalo says that when she joined the company in 2010, she was intrigued by the machinery and was curious to learn more. She has been instrumental

Nikita Budree is a senior structural

engineer at AECOM, a global infrastructure consulting fi rm.

When she joined AECOM, she didn’t really feel out of place as many other female engineers and technicians were employed. “However, when visiting a site, which is invariably male-dominated, you do feel a little bit insecure and unsure of yourself. All we need to do is stay strong to gain the respect of everyone. Keep your head high and treat everybody equally, then they will learn that you have as much right to be there as anyone else,” Budree points out.

She says that a woman needs to know her strengths and weaknesses and work towards improving them. Another requirement is perseverance; Budree emphasises that women shouldn’t stand down when they need to be heard. She points out that women are great at multitasking, but “we need to slow down sometimes and focus on one task at a time to maximise quality and build relationships.”

Budree encourages women to explore options linked to their fi eld of expertise. “This will provide fl exibility in your work life and career path.” She further urges women not to shy away from their mistakes, but instead learn from them.

DISCOVERING AGILITY

“COVID-19 has taught me to adapt to change, although I still struggle with this,” says Budree. “While we accept that change is constant, I have learnt that communication must come with change – the two go hand in hand.”

She says that connecting remotely through online platforms when

ADAPTING TO CHANGE

Nikita Budree

working from home has assisted with communication, however, the team still struggles with this occasionally. “Because AECOM is an international company, we have managed to work across offi ces globally. This has helped keep us busy when the infl ow of local work has been slow. We are working towards securing more local projects so that our business can become more sustainable.”

Grany Letswalo in implementing procedures to ensure a more effective workfl ow. As a result, the company has grown in leaps and bounds.

She adds that the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc, and having to run the business in an unusual way was quite challenging. “But, we took each day as it came and did our best to address any situation on hand. This has taught me to keep calm and be more encouraging towards my fellow team members.”

GOALS AND VALUES

Budree aims to constantly mentor and share knowledge to benefi t her team and colleagues. On the personal front, her goal is to constantly expand her knowledge base, which will then add further value to her projects and clients.

“I also strive to create new relationships inside and outside my organisation. Relationships within the organisation need to be maintained and maximised through collaboration. Relationships outside my organisation need to be developed further by understanding and fi nding innovative and effi cient ways to fulfi l their needs.

“Initially, I was interested in studying architecture, but after some thought and advice, I changed my university application to civil engineering, knowing that I would specifi cally be interested in structural engineering because of its ties to architecture.”

Operating out of AECOM’s Durban offi ce, Budree explains that KwaZulu-Natal’s multicultural nature refl ects the core values of diversity and inclusivity as embraced by AECOM. “It is important to base your understanding on different perspectives, as this impacts our thinking when responding to specifi c client requirements.

“Being a well-rounded engineer is a major achievement because sometimes you can get stuck in a rut of just doing engineering or calculation-type work. Fortunately, due to my experience and involvement in projects, I have an ingrained multidisciplinary approach to my work, which is aligned with AECOM’s culture and ethos.”

Letswalo is keen to upgrade her knowledge by completing a course in operations. Her aspirations for the team are to develop a growth mindset and improve work ethic. She says having a healthy work environment is very important. “My team needs to look forward to coming to work, the offi ce spirit has to be high. Following the right procedures also has been quite helpful for improving the work ethic. I keep the team motivated and so far, it has worked.”

THE REAL DEAL – FLEXIBLE WORKSPACES

The fl exible working segment is an asset class that has shown tremendous potential over the last few years

In South Africa, “space as a service” is a rapidly emerging business sector that has grown 1 000 per cent in the last 10 years and is gaining traction in the country’s prime business hubs and now in the suburbs. The growing interest from large occupiers and small and mid-sized fi rms is thanks to the cost-advantages and fl exibility offered by these varied working spaces.

Technology and innovation through mobile devices, cloud computing and social networking allow people the freedom to work from anywhere at any time. Companies see fl exible space as a great working solution, especially as it is becoming increasingly important to attract and retain top talent in a new generation workforce that wants fl exibility, rich amenities, connections, community and collaboration.

The shift to hybrid working is driving solid growth in sales from offi ce workers who want to continue working closer to home, so now is a great time to explore fl exible offi ce space within a diversifi ed franchise or investment portfolio.

Alan van der Westhuizen, head of Partnership Growth South Africa at IWG plc (Regus and Spaces in South Africa), says: “What we are seeing is increased demand from businesses that want to continue working fl exibly because they know that it maximises staff productivity and reduces overheads. This demand to work in a new way is defi ned by a combination of working locations. For many businesses, this still means a central city offi ce, but also a space to work from home, with fl exible workspaces that are somewhere in between the two.”

GREAT POTENTIAL

While the fl exible offi ce as a franchise in South Africa is still in the early stages, COVID-19 has awakened institutional investors to the franchise’s potential as a synergistic extension of their existing portfolio or a safe bet for their next venture.

“At the global and domestic level, shared offi ce space has already generated plenty of interest among occupiers. The pandemic has forced fl exible offi ce space providers to evolve. Investors are watching the emerging trends in offi ce space as a result of the work-fromanywhere concept and companies’ adoption of a capex-light model in the wake of the pandemic,” says van der Westhuizen.

Businesses are currently strategising their real estate portfolios to optimise operational expenditure. “Flexible workspace as a franchise is developing into an opportunity that has become a sustainable and investor-friendly proposition,” he adds.

South African investors are taking notice, and in March 2021, the country’s fi rst franchise deal, between local KwaZulu-Natal entrepreneur Cassim Khan and IWG, was signed. The fi rst HQ Business centre is expected to open in October at Northlands Corner, Northriding. Later this year, a Regus Centre will be opening in the prestigious Durban Country Club.

The IWG franchise model presents an opportunity to diversify away from traditional franchise industries and benefi t from strong cash returns and signifi cant returns on investment. Landlords, multifranchise operators, real estate investment trusts and high-net-worth individuals can enter this exciting industry in partnership with Regus or Spaces, the world’s largest provider of fl exible workspace and part of IWG.

“We have a balanced portfolio of SMEs and start-up clients and have recently concluded deals with large enterprise clients. The enterprise-driven model has allowed us to add over half a million new members to our network, which in turn has generated interest from larger investors in the fl exible workspace sector,” says van der Westhuizen.

Investing in a fl exible working franchise is a great way to start your own business in a booming industry that offers tremendous potential. IWG plc. has been an industry leader in offi ce space and plans to continue that trend.

Are you interested in joining one of the fastest-growing fl exible workspace franchises? Contact us today to learn more about franchise opportunities.

➔ Scan this QR code to go directly to the IWG website.

For more information:

Alan.vanderWesthuize n@iwgplc.com www.franchise.iwgplc.com