Every now and again, you are lucky to meet someone special – someone with a fire in their soul and a sense of determination beyond compare. Thandeka Genge, a supervisor at Atlantis Seafood Products (ASP), is a perfect example of one of these stand-out individuals. Up until now, her motto in life and at work has been: “If they can do it, then why can’t I?” and it is this approach that has got her to where she is today.

Originally from the Eastern Cape, Thandeka attended college, where she studied IT before finding employment. She struggled to find a job for many months before venturing to Atlantis to visit a close friend.

“I fell in love with the community when I arrived and noticed that there were lots more opportunities going around than at home, so I decided to stay and see if I could make a better life for myself and my boy.”

She was lucky enough to land a job at ASP shortly after that and has continued to impress ever since.

As a single mother with a son who is now 12 years old, Thandeka speaks about how she has always had to get things done independently.

“I’m a single parent. I do it all by myself. Now it’s in my nature to get things done. To make things happen,” she says.

She started as a general worker, spending most of her days sorting fish on the production line. But it wasn’t long before she noticed how those in the quality control department spent their time writing away with pens and big smiles on their faces, and she wondered how she could be doing the same. She chatted to her manager, who was impressed to discover her other skills and educational background and quickly worked to get her promoted.

Never one to feel comfortable remaining stagnant, Thandeka soon had her sights set on working with computers in the label department shortly after her promotion.

“Once again, I thought – if they are doing it, why can’t I?”

She transitioned from quality control to label printing, and, eventually, after a few more years of hard work and dedication, she was awarded the position of supervisor. She enjoys working closely with people and is incredibly proud of her team.

“My team works so hard. Everyone is determined.”

When asked what the future holds, Thandeka shares her intentions of going back to school to obtain new qualifications, preferably online, to continue working. There’s no doubt that Thandeka is a force to be reckoned with – a strong woman whose bravery and ambition show absolutely no bounds.