By Tanya Olckers
Thabang Makgoba is determined to rejuvenate the plumbing industry, and to create a proud legacy for his son.
Supplied by Thabang Makgoba
Thabang Makgoba grew up watching both his maternal and paternal uncles work in plumbing. One of his uncles on his mom’s side encouraged the young Makgoba to become a professional plumber, who soon accompanied his uncle on weekends and school holidays to help out. It wasn’t long before Makgoba fell in love with the trade.
“I went to college and did my Nat-Ed courses and workshop training,” he says. “I did my apprenticeship at the City of Tshwane Municipality – for three full years!”
His passion for plumbing sustained him during the apprenticeship and through his trade test, after which he registered with the Plumbing Industry Registration Board (PIRB). Once in the industry, Makgoba met plumbers from around South Africa, leading them to discuss the challenges that the plumbing industry in the country faces. He joined one of the plumbing bodies.
“I was part of their first recruits,” says Makgoba. “The leadership saw me taking part in the issues that were affecting us as the plumbers, and I was giving the solutions that were more important and progressive. They then approached me to be part of the board.”
“We are faced with lots of challenges of poverty,” Makgoba continues, “And this leads unqualified people to think they are plumbers, and they cause lots of damage to the image of our beautiful industry.”
In keeping with his strong family connections with both parents being educators, Makgoba also stepped into being a registered NAMB assessor and moderator. “Helping others has been a calling,” he says. “Helping others makes me really proud. Seeing others excel in their own way is just the best feeling ever.”
Makgoba and his wife have just had a baby boy – named Lehlogonolo – and he anticipates the joys of fatherhood that lie in the years ahead. He no doubt wants to share his passion for plumbing with his son. “I will make sure he follows in his father’s footsteps,” he says.
The strangest thing that Makgoba has witnessed as a plumber is discovering that another plumber had installed a shower mixer next to the shower rose.
He offers this advice to the plumbers out there: “There is no hope without fear, nor fear without hope,” he says. “Work smart.”
Makgoba is a man with a great love and hope for the plumbing industry in South Africa. He says, “My hope for the future of the South African plumbing industry is seeing skilled labourers taking their trade tests and getting certified. Then we can minimise the non-compliant work we keep seeing on sites or households. Plumbers need to be held accountable for their jobs and this will help build trust from the clients’ side. Let’s get them certified and we will have a better industry.”
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