Female Mechanic Overcomes Barriers
Olefile Serokolo | Tuesday October 3, 2017 17:42
Ketaroma Moshe had to prove herself in a world where women are considered incompetent, standing strong in the face of nay-sayers and doubting Thomases with the support of her family. The 47-year-old woman who hails from Bobonong said she began her journey as a car mechanic in a company called Phikwe Radiators where she served for 23 years. She said the company trained her for the job until she mastered it.
Prior to the closure of the company Moshe never struggled. With an undying passion and vast experience for the job, she decided to set up her own company, Trust Radiator Clinic in 2016.
It performs maintenance, including repairing motor vehicles and other machinery and equipment. Her business’ major focus is in servicing radiators, skimming brake drums, skimming cylinder, relining brake pads, skimming of flywheel, manifold sellers and also selling second hand radiators.
She cited that fixing vehicles might be a challenge to most women as it includes lifting heavy objects such engine parts. She said lifting heavy objects is a difficult task because as women they are less physically stronger compared to their counterparts. She, however, admitted that it is something a person can get used to.
Moshe, who is a family woman values the time she spent in her workshop or out in the field doing what she knows best. “I must note that I enjoy every moment I spend doing this job. That is why I never looked back when the company I worked for closed. I knew that I could survive on what people regard as a male industry. Breaking down car parts and fixing them up is what I adore, and with such capabilities I am able to pass the skills and knowledge to my employees everyday,” she said. Moshe said being a mechanic is a demanding job, which needs an understanding family as sometimes she has to work extra hours and away from home. She said her business is unique in the sense that it was the first to be engaged with such a magnitude task of maintaining and repairing motor vehicles because there is no other similar business in the town.
She added that she came as a blessing to Selebi-Phikwe residents who had to travel as far as Francistown for car services. Moshe said the residents have now cut travelling costs and long distances seeking the service as she has brought it closer to them.
Her business, Trust Radiator has employed three young people who she has personally trained and her dream is to expand her business and employ more youth.
She said though the business is running smoothly, there are a few challenges they encounter. “As a sole financier for the business, it has been a bit challenging to raise enough money that we use to buy some of the parts we use from South Africa.
High rental is another problem because we have not been allocated a plot where we can operate from freely.
Lastly, the closure of BCL Mine has affected our business badly because most of our customers were the mine employees,” Moshe said.