Wanda le Roux joined our Technical team 15 years ago. She came with extensive experience in planning and a strong passion for project-related work as well as business process mapping, amongst others.
Needless to say, she has executed numerous projects for IBL and is currently working on another interesting project.
She is a force to be reckoned with in our management structure. Like all working mothers, she also faces everyday challenges of working mothers in the corporate world.
Wanda is a loving mother of two beautiful daughters, one about to become a Chartered Accountant and one who has just completed her Honours in Business Psychology.
Through it all, nothing is more important to her than spending time with her daughters, who she calls her sisters. She also enjoys the company of her siblings and parents. After all her years of traveling in between projects, time away from family is still something that Wanda doesn’t enjoy. Thank you, Wanda, for your sacrifice.
Lelanie Hanana is a straight-talker that worked her way up from a Cashier position to Senior Accounting Assistant. She comes across as strict but has a big heart. Some call her Mmamoruti because of how she engages fellow employees. She comes from a very diverse background which she accredits for her ability to easily interact with people from all walks of life. Lelanie has been greatly influenced by our Chief Operating Officer, Christo Du Plessis. She says that he pushed and challenged her to be where she is today and she admires him for motivating employees into believing in their abilities. He too, is such a hard worker, with a charitable heart. She has been with the company for over 15 years and she says her workplace is like a home. She has formed spiritual bonds with a number of employees. Among those that she admired and cherished most, was the late Leareil “Boeta” Simmons who also had a big heart and touched so many lives. She is a proud mother of two beautiful daughters and spends time with close friends and her two girls. We are proud of this mover and shaker! Judging by her always positive life approach, we are certain that the sky is the limit for her.
Mmatlala Nkoesa is our longest serving female driver. She has been with the company for more than 20 years! Mmatlala is a soft spoken, kind-hearted and very calm person. She has been part of a group of senior drivers that regularly hold prayer sessions in Phomolong at our depot. Mmatlala is a mother of 4 daughters, of whom three are married. She stays with her last born who is 15 years of age. Mmatlala’s story of how she obtained her driver’s license, is one which we are familiar with. She worked as a domestic worker and her brother paid for her costs to obtain a driver’s license. She attempted twice to get into IBL, but failed the assessment tests. This is a story that most drivers that aspire to work for IBL, are familiar with. It was on her third attempt that she succeeded. She said what kept her going was her biggest inspiration Mme Sebolelo Nyaphuli, the first IBL female bus driver. She was also encouraged by Mme Vivian Sello and Mme Sondela. Mmatlala’s driving record, in her 20 years of driving for IBL, shows that she has never been involved in an accident. She credits her excellent driving record to being cautious, not taking chances and always observing road regulations. She faced some challenges when she stepped into a male dominated space, but this did not stop or limit her ambition. We draw so much inspiration from this mama!
Limakatso Sebuse is currently the oldest female driver at IBL but looks much younger than her real age. She also spent some time together with Mme Nkoesa on the road.
Limakatso’s story of how she became an IBL driver, is also motivational. She worked as a messenger for an insurance company until she was retrenched.
Sadly, at the same time, she lost her first born due to an illness and as one can imagine, she says up to this day she has not fully recovered from that loss. She is also a mother to 4 boys. She enjoys driving her bus!
Together with Limakatso, they have criss-crossed the province and the country driving our buses. They relayed accounts of their trips to Mozambique and the challenges of carrying over 100 lives in their hands.
She too has kept a clean driving record! This goes to show that women drivers are the best drivers. We shared so many stories about life in general and about raising children.
Galaletsang (Gale) Kalaote, a beautiful firebrand, is our only qualified female diesel mechanic. She represents Thaba Nchu and she is the last born of Mme and Ntate Kalaote. It was through ntate Nyani’s work that Gale was inspired to be a mechanic. She used to help around when Ntate Nyani was fixing her mom’s Nissan Sentra. She did not want to work in an office as she enjoys working with her hands. She has since found a home at IBL and enjoys challenging the stereotype that certain jobs are for males. She says when she first joined IBL, some of her male colleagues were sceptical of her abilities, but she was never discriminated against and she now enjoys support from her team. Jokingly she says she is now the resident mechanic for her friends whenever they have car related problems! She is most proud when a male asks her for help. She says she would like to have a big family and create a space for her kids to be whatever they want to be and prove that there are no roles for any specific gender. Her message to young ladies who aspire to be in the technical space is that they must not be afraid to follow any career and can use her example as a stepping stone.