Sibongile

Environmental Scientist and Project Manager, Sibongile Gumbi, is a people’s person and nature lover. What started as a casual telephonic interview developed into 15 years of making an impact at Royal HaskoningDHV.

“My first choice was chemistry, but during my studies, I realised that I didn’t want to sit in a laboratory the entire day. I wanted to engage with people and nature. When surrounded by nature and the environment, I feel a sense of accomplishment that I’m doing the right thing.”

Proudest moment?

“Working on a project that needed funding from the World Bank. The calculations were complex, but I figured it out along the way, submitted it, and was appointed to work with a huge budget. The client was so happy with the work that they said they’d work with us again any day.”

Although her career requires her to have technical and scientific knowledge, her passion and drive for success is what makes her good at her job. She believes that anyone can achieve great things if they have the necessary guidance early on.

“Many people associate maths and science with clever people, but I’ve found that if you have a good teacher to give you the basics, you’ll better understand the subject and apply it later. The method of transferring information is absolutely crucial when it comes to teaching and learning.”

Favourite memory?

“A teambuilding party where we all got to dress up and socialise with each other. They really went out of their way to make the event extra special."

As an Environmental Scientist, Sibongile sees herself as a voice for nature. She enjoys learning more about the things we often take for granted in nature, and tries to understand why people carelessly cut down trees or waste water.

“I’m not perfect, and I’m still learning new things. And although it isn’t easy, and I had to gain a lot of the skills myself, I think I’ve learned the most throughout the process. As a project manager, I need to constantly think on my feet and make sure everything goes according to plan. There will be challenges, but if you push through them, you’ll find that you learn even more.”

One such challenge was when the company went through acquisitions in 2012. There was a lot of uncertainty with new systems and technologies. Still, Sibongile worked through the challenges and realised that the world and the company are constantly changing and evolving, just like the environment.

Sibongile’s passion is not only to make a difference in nature but in the community as well.

“It’s not just about the project, but the interaction with different people and gaining skills and knowledge from them. More than that, it’s about making a difference in communities where people aren’t used to service delivery. They’re usually sceptical at first because they’ve experienced broken promises before. But then telling them that you’re actually breaking ground brings a smile to their faces. That is the ultimate goal.”