nokhutula mazibuko

Nokhutula is a civil engineering Master's student at Stellenbosch University

WHAT DREW YOU TO CIVIL ENGINEERING? WHAT DID YOU HOPE TO LEARN?

I wanted a career that would allow me to make a difference in the development and growth of South Africa using the talent I have been given to understand maths and science. I hoped to learn how to use maths and science to build infrastructure that would provide people with their basic needs and help develop the country.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BUILD ONE DAY?

I want to ensure that our transport infrastructure is well maintained and safe for all road users, thereby reducing road crashes. I believe that if our roads are in good condition and people's behaviour is changed to respect other road users and the road, then road incidents can be reduced.

MOST INTERESTING THING ABOUT YOUR CHOSEN FIELD RIGHT NOW?

In the pavement engineering field, the most interesting finding right now is the use of bitumen-stabilised materials – where we are now reusing the existing road material, which is strengthened, and the construction of new roads is quicker than the methods used in the past. With this technology, upgrading and rehabilitation of roads can be done faster and more cost-effectively. It is also environmentally friendly, because there is little waste produced from the construction of the road.