Two driven young women from the tiny Northern Cape town of Loeriesfontein are achieving remarkable success — both in terms of elevation and breaking barriers — as they climb wind turbines and challenge societal expectations within the renewable energy sector.
Marshe Strauss, 23, and Kezia Souw, 26, have emerged as a strong representation of advancement, currently serving as junior hoist technicians in a significant cable replacement initiative managed by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy at Noupoort Wind Farm in the Northern Cape. As part of their regular responsibilities, they perform high-altitude lifting tasks — moving equipment and cables into tall turbines to assist with continuous maintenance efforts. The job is challenging, yet for Marshe and Kezia, it marks a rewarding step forward in an expanding professional area.
“We handle tasks at elevated positions daily, making sure equipment and wires are securely hoisted into the towers. It’s demanding work, yet highly fulfilling,” they said.
Their path into the wind energy sector started in 2022 when they were chosen for the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) training initiative, supported by Loeriesfontein and Khobab Wind Farms. The rigorous program provided them with crucial safety and technical abilities, setting the stage for future roles in turbine management.
Their present position as cable technicians allows them to gain practical, on-the-job experience while supporting an initiative focused on improving safety and efficiency throughout the wind farm’s activities.
The program embodies a larger goal of creating opportunities for local young people — particularly young women — in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
“This form of assistance highlights the potential for local skill-building to generate lasting effects. By providing technical education to youth within our communities, we are opening doors to fulfilling job prospects and encouraging better gender diversity in STEM fields and the renewable energy sector,” stated Vanessa Fredericks, the economic development manager at Loeriesfontein and Khobab Wind Farms.
The pair’s guidance for other young women considering this field is straightforward yet impactful: “Continue to learn and welcome new opportunities, and remember that what a man is capable of, a woman can achieve as well.”
In the future, both women are concentrating on developing their technical and leadership abilities, advancing their careers within the renewable energy field, and eventually becoming mentors in an industry where the presence of women is still increasing.
From the worn-out roads of Loeriesfontein to the towering turbine structures, Marshe and Kezia are demonstrating that the breeze of transformation is powerfully sweeping through the Northern Cape.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
