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RDC sisters are doing it for themselves

Radio Data Communications (RDC) is a South African designer and manufacturer of VHF, GPRS and SMS communications equipment for alarm monitoring. The company has been in operation for almost 40 years and has supplied around 2 million communication devices and has over 400 radio networks located in South Africa and beyond its borders.

While the company is a recognised name in the local manufacturing arena, not many people know its legacy in creating a diverse, loyal workforce. Brent Andreka, RDC’s MD is proud of the fact that the company is 75% female owned and that 63% of its workforce is made up of women from diverse backgrounds.

When speaking to some of the women employed at RDC, it becomes clear that the company has managed to avoid becoming a soulless corporation and has retained the family-owned values throughout its years of success. It is also clear that working at RDC is a challenge and enjoyable, as well as a learning experience from the first day.

Zita Helberg is a relative newcomer to the company, being appointed as chief operating officer (COO) a year ago. She is responsible for keeping the wheels of the operation turning, making sure the procurement, sales, manufacturing, finance and distribution departments work in unison to deliver beyond customer expectations. In everything the company does, customer satisfaction is the aim as everyone knows this is how the company and its people grow and thrive.

Coming out of an IT corporate background where she has been involved in the software industry for years, Zita was at first unsure of whether she would enjoy the job at RDC. However, the friendly, family environment and the people around her soon convinced her she had found the place she wanted to be.

At the other end of the scale, Kanikram (Miriam) Chetty has been with the company for 22 years. She started out as a feeder, supplying components to the people populating circuit boards before discovering an interest in the boards themselves. She then moved into a production role where she was placing components on circuit boards before moving onto coding – something she still has a passion for.

Kanikram is appreciative of the opportunities RDC has given her over the years and for the friendly work environment. She says the people at RDC know you by name; you are not a number but a person and you are valued as a person, something she appreciates.

Climbing the ladder

RDC employees work hard, but all agree that the company offers many opportunities to learn and grow. Mathapelo Mokoena has been with the company for 10 years. Today she is a procurement assistant who is involved in buying the various components used in the products produced. However, she started out in the factory where her natural curiosity led her to show an interest in the technology the company produced.

Her manager started showing her how the various bits and pieces fit together and she soon discovered a talent for the technical side of RDC. More than this, Mathapelo saw her own potential in an environment that stimulated her mind. This led her into the repairs department where she made quite a name for herself during a time when RDC was battling to clear a backlog. As if she was born to it, Mathapelo got to grips with the technology at hand and cleared the problem, almost before anyone knew she was even working on it.

Growth is something that is part of RDC and Mathapelo is already looking for her next promotion and challenge.

Charmaine Johnston-Schonfeldt is another individual looking to expand her horizons at the company. She is the sales office manager and has been with RDC for eight years, following a long career in the security industry in South Africa and the UK. Her job is to deliver on what the sales people sell and make sure the back office runs smoothly.

Charmaine also believes there are opportunities available at RDC and is looking at her next challenge, possibly in the marketing area. She says the company offers a challenge as well as good growth potential if you put your mind to it.

From left to right: Sharon Dibakoane, Christella Linberg, Christine Esteban, Mirriam Chetty, Charmaine Schönfeldt, Zita Helberg, Nomfundo Ngwenya, Mathapelo Mokoena, Mandisa Gebuza, Mirriam Karelse.

Getting technical

Nomfundo Ngwenya is another woman who started in the production area six years ago; she is now a production supervisor. She started at RDC after waitressing at a Spur restaurant and has never looked back. She says RDC is a good learning environment and those who want to learn will find more than enough to keep them busy.

She says the technical environment suites her and is filled with interesting people who openly exchange ideas and knowledge with each other. In fact, Nomfundo says she is where she is today because of RDC and wouldn’t trade her job and future prospects for anything.

Being the only female technician in her department is a challenge Sharon Dibakoane relishes. This technician has been with the company for three years, starting in the manufacturing department before moving into her current position where she is called on to do a range of tasks, from assembling circuit boards to customer specifications, through to taking calls from technicians out in the field looking for assistance with problems they face with customer repairs and so forth. She is also responsible for calibrating the testing equipment first thing in the morning to ensure they are up to specification and will perform reliably during the day.

Sharon says there have been many changes at RDC during her time at the company, changes that have introduced new opportunities. The focus on individuals and their interests and skills helps everyone to find what they are good at while learning and expanding their career opportunities.

Never be board

When it comes to circuit boards, Mandi Gebuza is the person to ask. Mandi is the supervisor in the SMT (Surface Mount Technology) department, where machine assembly is done before boards are passed on to the factory area. She started in a non-technical role before moving to quality control and eventually to the position of SMT supervisor. She loves her work and also loves learning, and says there are lots of opportunities for this at RDC.

Mandi has been with the company for 17 years, starting after her mother (who also worked for RDC) told her about a job opening all those years ago. She started as a temp before her supervisors saw her potential and brought her into the company on a fulltime basis. She has never looked back.

Another technician, this time one tasked with board repairs and who also handles administration tasks when required is Christella Linberg. She has been with the company for 15 years, starting as a boxer before moving onto more administrative work and then moving back into the technical environment.

Christella discovered her interest and enjoyment of technology at RDC and appreciates the learning environment the company fosters, and she says enjoys the people she works with which makes a big difference in her day-to-day work.

Oiling the wheels

In every business, administrative teams play a critical role in keeping everything and everyone on track, RDC is no different. Miriam Karelse is a 16-year veteran of the company who also started out assembling circuit boards and was able to advance her career to her current administration position.

Miriam says she is grateful for the opportunities she has had to expand her knowledge and skills over the years at RDC, but still keeps her eyes and hands on the technical side of things when time permits. As to RDC’s female majority, she says the new democracy in South Africa allowed women to stand up and expand their horizons, which is what the ladies at RDC are doing.

Making sure the wheels of the company keep turning is also what Christine Esteban is responsible for as the service and technical administrator. She comes from a security background and today makes sure the company’s technicians are assigned to customer service jobs in the most effective manner, making sure RDC keeps its customers happy on all occasions.

Customer satisfaction is critical to Christine as that is what keeps the company growing and provides opportunities for its people. Making the most of the opportunities available depends on the individual, but she feels RDC is a great company to work for because of its pleasant environment and openness of the people. It’s a place she can see herself working at for many years to come.

Brent, RDC’s MD, says the company did not intentionally set out to employ more women than men, the process simply happened over the years. It is, however, something the company is proud of as it has helped many people discover their knack for technology while building a rewarding career. The women in the company have also done more than their fair share in making RDC a good place to work, where everyone chips in to get the job done and politics is not appreciated.

There are many people who have been with the company for more than a decade, some of which have brought their children into RDC’s employ as well – a tradition Brent says he hopes will continue long into the future. And while the company has to be run as a business and make a profit in order to pay salaries and employ more people, Brent says it’s the calibre of the people on the various teams that empowers RDC to empower its people and provide its employees with more than just a job.

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