Phumudzo Thenga was born in Vhembe District, Limpopo, South Africa. She grew up in a small rural village called Dzata. Thenga’s parents instilled in her the importance of education, and she attended a local primary school before moving to Johannesburg to complete her high school education. Thenga’s academic prowess earned her a scholarship to attend the University of Johannesburg, where she pursued a degree in Chemical Engineering.
After graduating, Thenga began her career as a graduate engineer at Sasol, one of South Africa’s largest petrochemical companies. During her time at Sasol, Thenga was involved in several projects that focused on reducing the company’s carbon footprint and promoting sustainable practices.
In 2011, Thenga joined Eskom, South Africa’s largest electricity supplier. She quickly rose through the ranks and was appointed as the Divisional Executive for Group Capital in 2016. In this role, Thenga was responsible for managing Eskom’s capital projects, including the construction of new power plants and the maintenance of existing ones.
Thenga’s work at Eskom earned her recognition from several international organizations. In 2018, she was named one of the Most Influential Women in Business and Government in Africa by CEO Global. Thenga was also featured on the Forbes Africa Under 30 list in the same year.
In addition to her professional achievements, Thenga is also committed to giving back to her community. She has established the Phumudzo Thenga Foundation, which focuses on promoting education and entrepreneurship in rural communities. The foundation provides scholarships to students from disadvantaged backgrounds and supports small businesses in the area.
Thenga is also a mentor to young women in the engineering field. She has spoken at several events, encouraging young girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
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