Walking kilometres before I learned how far I could go
Mthobisi Zuma’s story begins far from boardrooms and global engineering hubs. It starts in the dusty rural paths of iMpendle, shaped by loss, responsibility, and a grandmother who taught him that dignity is built through action.
His journey from orphaned child to Head of Engineering is not a story of entitlement, but of endurance, of learning when to stand firm, when to listen, and how to lead across difference with fairness and results. This is the story of a leader forged through perseverance, curiosity, and service.
I was born in the homelands of iMpendle, with Zulu as my home language and Pietermaritzburg as the nearest town that connected us to the wider world. I didn’t grow up with siblings, but I grew up rich in cousins. We walked kilometres together through dusty rural roads, sharing stories, responsibilities, and a childhood shaped more by resilience than comfort.
In my early years, my grandmother was my active parent. She raised me with love, discipline, and responsibility — not through words alone, but through work. Looking after chickens and cows was not a chore; it was training. It taught me accountability, consistency, and care. Those lessons have never left me.
I lost my parents when I was about seven years old. That kind of loss arrives before you have the language to explain it. What it taught me, very early on, was that life does not always offer options. Sometimes it only offers endurance. Perseverance became my default setting — not because I was brave, but because giving up was never available to me.
That experience shaped my drive for results. Not for recognition, but for survival — and later, for transformation. I learned to push forward even when circumstances were heavy, and to build something better from what felt like very little.
From my elders, I learned gratitude, humbleness, and respect, respect for people, for nature, and for the journey itself. I learned that being grateful for what you have does not mean standing still; it means improving continuously while remaining grounded.
I also learned that sometimes your true family and strongest friendships are found far from where you were born. Curiosity and openness, I realised, can unlock progress in ways comfort never does.
My schooling began in a very small rural school from Grade 1 to Grade 5. We all knew each other, and our teachers were strict, sometimes harsh by today’s standards, but they showed up. They were role models through presence and discipline. Later, I moved to a township school, which felt like an upgrade, both academically and socially.
I worked hard, and I used my mind. By the third term of Grade 7, my life shifted again. I had to move from KwaZulu-Natal to Gauteng due to another loss in my family. It was uncomfortable and forced, but it taught me adaptability, how to start again when you have no choice.
In 2004, I completed my Grade 12 as the top student in my school. That achievement opened doors I desperately needed. Sponsorship carried me through my studies at the University of Johannesburg until 2009, when I entered corporate life with an organisation that also funded my fees. That support was not lost on me, it reinforced my belief in paying opportunity forward.
"It was a risk, but one worth taking. My purpose was ignited, and I became deeply convinced by it."
I later completed my honours degree part-time at the University of Pretoria because I understood that staying competitive was not optional. It was my responsibility — to myself and to the organisations I served. Along the way, I invested in leadership and people-management short courses, lessons that would become essential as my responsibilities grew.
My corporate journey accelerated in 2011 when I was hired permanently as a Junior Engineer after two years on contract. Eighteen months later, I was promoted to Engineer, taking on major projects traditionally allocated to senior engineers. I was trusted to lead a global project introduced in South Africa for the first time, which took me to our global engineering headquarters in the United States.
Five years later, I stepped into a senior role with direct reports for the first time. Leadership became real, not theoretical. Two years after that, I was promoted again, and soon after appointed Acting Manager, later confirmed as Senior Manager: Product Support Manager.
I was responsible for the entire operational fleet and reported directly to a Director. For the first time, I sat at the intersection of strategy and execution, presenting in global forums and understanding how decisions ripple across organisations.
As a leader, I listen more than I speak. I believe less is more, The pareto principle guides me: 20% of focused action drives 80% of results.
In September 2023, I joined JA Engineering as Electrical Design and Product Support Manager. I recruited talent to streamline processes and improve efficiency, and travelled internationally, to India, Australia, and Botswana, providing solutions directly to customers.
In 2024, I was promoted to Head of Engineering, overseeing all engineering and product support functions and driving strategy aligned to short, medium, and long-term business goals.
Some achievements remain deeply personal. Designing an electrical system in 2013 that remains a market leader today. Being appointed the first Black Product Support Manager, leading a team of up to 50 people.
Resolving major international customer challenges shortly after joining JA Engineering. Presenting at SACMA on innovation capabilities, a presentation that won a safety award. But leadership has not been without challenge.
One of the hardest lessons was navigating diverse teams as the youngest leader in the room, being undermined, questioned, and sometimes ignored. Leading a team where seven white professionals, some nearly twice my age, reported to me required clarity, composure, and courage. I learned to stand firm, defend my thinking, correct unacceptable behaviour, and reward progress, all while remaining focused on results.
The turning point came when I realised my values were no longer seen and I was operating under constant scrutiny. That’s when I knew it was time to seek autonomy, a space where I could deliver results aligned with who I am.
At my core, I am driven by customer experience, by implementing simple, effective solutions, building strong teams, and investing in partnerships that create mutual value. The leaders who shaped me taught me to work hard, report honestly on both achievements and disappointments, take calculated risks, and learn in the coalface, by doing.
I remain grateful for what I have, while constantly pushing myself to the next level. I’ve learned to take positions, even alone, and stand by them. I respect those who came before me, learn from every experience, complain less, and deliver more.
Ultimately, I want to leave the world better than I found it. We are in the business of service and solutions. Whether it’s customers, family, or community, choose your people and serve them well. I want to leave behind a generation of impactful, caring leaders who understand that results and humanity are not opposites.
