Mamoratehi Modise lives in Maokeng in Kroonstad. In 2019 she saw a poster at the Phuleng Primary School advertising a position for a Safety Health Environment (SHE) representative. The SHE representative was needed for a building project at the school that Foundation partner entity KST was implementing. KST is a partnership between Cyril Ramaphosa Foundation and Kagiso Trust with the Free State Department of Education. It addresses school infrastructure, curriculum support, social welfare and school leadership on a district basis in the Free State.
Mamoratehi applied for the position and was successful.
“It is important to make sure the workplace is always safe for everyone on site,” she says. “My role is to identify potential hazards, investigate complaints and incidents, and advise about safety, health and environmental hazards. I have learned that being a Safety Rep does not need only technical skills. It also needs discipline and skills such as communications, teamwork and problem solving.”
Mamoratehi says she would like to do a diploma in civil engineering. “I have gained more insight into the building field and greater awareness in construction because of this work,” she says.