After an intense training period, Nomkhosi Xaba has assumed the position as NPC Aggregate’s new quarry manager at the company’s Marburg plant in Southern KZN.  In doing so, she has by all accounts, become the first black woman in South Africa to achieve the technical qualifications and assume this role – one which also requires strong management and engineering skills.
 
Raised in Newcastle, Nomkhosi began her career in a somewhat different sphere, having received a degree in chemical engineering from the Durban Institute of Technology.  In addition to her work experience with several chemical companies, Ms. Xaba also participated in chemical research at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.  Here she began to discover her interest in mining.  “We were doing mineral processing, and that’s when I started getting involved in mining and I really enjoyed working in this field.” 
 
Not long after, with the assistance of the National African Women’s Alliance (NAWA), she discovered a job opening at NPC Aggregate and enthusiastically applied.  NAWA is a strategic BEE partner with NPC and owns 26% of South Coast Stone Crushers (Pty) Ltd, which trades as NPC Aggregate.   Ms. Xaba was appointed at South Coast Stone Crushers in January 2006. 
 
While her chemical engineering background no doubt helped her at NPC, training was needed to ‘switch over’ to quarrying.   Says her mentor Dr. Clarence Russell, “I regard Nomkhosi as sort of a protégé and she has developed very well and come a long way from when she started with us.   Nomkhosi was always up to the challenge and she passed no fewer than 9 modules with an A+ average that comprehensively covered mining and management, including receiving her blasting certificate.”
 
NPC Aggregate’s Margate Quarry Manager Mervin Venkatraman heartily agrees.  “She’s a willing learner and has never refrained or said that she couldn’t handle something, even though in this industry there are plenty of times when you have to roll up your sleeves, so to speak.  She’s also greatly improved her mechanical and engineering skills and she’s really doing a splendid job.”
 
For her part, Nomkhosi admits that her path to management was at times daunting.  “It’s taken a lot of patience and courage, and I’ve learned to not be afraid to get my hands dirty.  And in the end, you’re so grateful that you went through all of this, because now I’m here, and it’s like I’m learning more every day.”
 
When asked about her future plans at NPC, Nomkhosi pauses for moment and then says, “Right now I want to do as much as I can for this company, because if it goes forward then I’ll go forward.”

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