SOUTH AFRICA: 21-year-old becomes South Africa's first black female Air Force pilot

Record ID: 452887

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: 21-year-old becomes South Africa's first black female Air Force pilot
  • Date: 18th September 2007
  • Summary: (AD1) UNKNOWN LOCATION, MOZAMBIQUE (FILE - 2002) (REUTERS) HELICOPTER FLYING OVER FLOODED AREA HELICOPTER LANDING ON GRASS PATCH RESCUED FLOOD VICTIMS BEING LED OUT OF THE HELICOPTER
  • Embargoed: 3rd October 2007 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Defence / Military,Lifestyle
  • Reuters ID: LVA6YBXQIQHYFWNFK0O0DQDYFRLO
  • Story Text: Lt. Phetogo Molawa has always been ambitious. The 21-year-old knew at the age of twelve that she wanted to fly one of the helicopters that flew regularly over the township or informal settlement where she lived.
    Soon after high school, Molawa joined the South African Air Force and has just recently completed her initial helicopter training. She is the first black woman in the country to do so.
    But, she'll have to work even harder to make her mark amongst pilots here. Several of the country's helicopter units distinguished themselves in 2002 when they flew on numerous missions into neighboring Mozambique to rescue people who were trapped by floods.
    Molawa says young people need to believe in themselves, and then nothing will be impossible for them achieve.
    "You know as a person you sell yourself short, I was also guilty of that at some stage where you think, I don't really think I will be able to make it you know, I think that's a one very dangerous thing that we as youngsters should not do, which is selling yourself short, my parents, they are extremely proud, I can't explain how they feel, they have supported me through everything I wanted to do, whatever career I wanted to follow, they told me that they will stand by me, what ever it is," said Molawa after a routine flight in an Oryx Air Force transport helicopter.
    Molawa's determination and drive have made her an inspiration to others.
    "There is a lot of diverse tasks that we doing, is from firefighting, to rescues, to standbys, to doing a call out, assisting people in peace keeping operation, going into Africa with specific missions, it's a very diverse job, it's a very very rewarding job, and the more younger people we get to join us the better, and for that matter, the more females also, it's been proven over and over again females can and are willing to do the job," said Willie Van Aswegen, who is the commanding officer at the Hoedspruit base.
    Earlier this year, South Africa's Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota announced the appointment of 11 new brigadier-generals and two new rear admirals. Eight of the new brigadier-generals were women, bringing the total number of women generals in the South African Defence Force (SANDF) to 25.
    Army officials say they want the percentage of women in the military to have reached 30 percent by 2009.
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