Women leading the charge in the 4IR

Two women, Noluvuyo Mpekelana and Puseletso Maseko have taken their position in the forefront of today’s buzz-word, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

Mpekelana, a University of Cape Town (UCT) graduate and ICT professional, has been involved in initiatives that seek to empower women and children for the new economy.

She says her experience as a woman in male dominated boardrooms encouraged her to find ways of mentoring women in her chosen field of work.

She has moved from ICT on Heels and is now running Code Ngwana, a start-up set up as a way of introducing children to computer programming.

Mpekelana has been recognised by her industry peers as a top woman in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.)

She believes South Africa is saying all the right things concerning the 4IR. “We are headed towards the right direction where we are starting to say all the right things and seeing the value it (4IR) can potentially bring to us and our economy.”

Watch Noluvuyo Mpekelana’s interview below:

Puseletso Maseko and drone technology…

Another woman playing her part in the 4IR is aeronautical engineer and WITS alumni, Puseletso Maseko.

Maseko’s ground-breaking research on automated rescue mechanism for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) – an aeroplane or helicopter that does not have a pilot – has seen her present a paper at an international conference in Argentina in 2017.

Her paper focused on ways to control military drones (UAV) in instances where the mechanics of the drone have failed.

Maseko says South Africa is falling behind in aeronautical innovation.

Listen to interview below: 

She also adds that women need to claim their space in her industry.

Both Mpekelana and Maseko say South Africa has what it takes to be a leader in the 4IR but a lack of investment in technology could hinder growth potential.

They have urged women to believe in themselves and reach for their dreams, as they have shown that it is possible to play a major role in careers that were traditionally seen as male spaces.