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Black female engineer runs a tight ship

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Blondie Jobela. Picture: Supplied
Blondie Jobela. Picture: Supplied

She has broken through the glass ceiling to become one of only two black South African female marine engineers and now she is working on the Jewel of the Seas cruise ship belonging to Royal Caribbean Cruises.

Often the only woman in her ship’s engine room, Blondie Jobela works alongside men of many nationalities, mostly from European countries, for the world’s second-largest cruise company.

“They tend to treat me gently and count their words carefully,” said Jobela, who paints her nails black to hide the grease.

“Back in the day we were pulling ropes, but today’s computerised technology means you only need to press a button to open a hydraulic or pneumatic valve,” said Jobela of the male-dominated job.

She is responsible for maintaining and repairing mechanical parts, as well as ensuring there are no waste disposal problems or electrical failures on the 13-deck vessel that carries about 2 000 passengers.

Jobela cannot see herself working in any other environment other than on a ship.

“Being around thousands of people – instead of just 20 – is like being on a small island in the middle of the sea. Besides, I’m a people person and our cargo is people.”

She has seen the coast of Canada, visited the Caribbean islands, the Mediterranean and many countries in Europe.

“I love meeting different people and getting paid to see different places,” said Jobela.

However, being a seafarer is not all plain sailing, with four and a half months at sea at a time, three months at home and working a 72-hour shift per week.

“You lose friends, family and special days,” said Jobela, whose goal is to become a chief engineer.

Sadly, some seafarers take their losses more seriously than others. “Sometimes it’s ‘man overboard’ from a crew suicide after a shore relationship ends. So, we’re constantly encouraged to socialise on the ship to talk about our feelings and problems,” explained Jobela.

Though she has had a ship romance, she said relationships were not her priority.

“In this industry you can’t just wake up and say: ‘I’m going to have a baby today.’ If you want to reach your goals, you have to put all of that on hold.”

Seeing the sea for the first time at 11 years old, she’s still not 100% confident about swimming.

“I have had to overcome our culture’s negative beliefs and fears about the waves. I was not going to lose my whole career over swimming,” said the long-haired 26-year-old defiantly.

Before graduating from the Lawhill Maritime School in Simonstown, Jobela was born and raised in Tsomo village in the eastern Cape. With six other siblings and a single parent, she recalls that “some days were very bad in terms of not having food”.

In addition to food and money no longer being a problem for her these days – with third engineers earning up to R88 000 monthly in US dollars – she said being at sea was hugely fulfilling.

“I don’t want to go too far from sea life as I [will] really miss it.”

But what eventually happens when old sea dogs tire of the sun, surf and passing ships in the night?

“Then there are shore-based office jobs available for engineers, or there is work on tug boats,” said the soft-spoken Jobela.

Perhaps not by accident, we’re sitting just metres away from one that she’s been gazing at lovingly.

“Working on tug boats is the end of the road in this career. Many returning from sea life apply there. They get to go home every night and have half-days on Fridays,” she smiled.

Back on terra firma to write exams, Jobela runs a tight ship when it comes to self-discipline. It will ready her to take the plunge for her next berth in September when she again gets to “feel the waves under my feet”.

“One minute you’re obsessed with being on land while at sea, and then it’s vice versa. I guess that’s the life of a seafarer, never knowing where you belong,” she quipped.

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