Hailing from humble beginnings within the mining town of Burgersfort, Mamokiba Yvonne Makuwa is the visionary founder and CEO of TKY Engineering, a proudly South African company. The company delivers innovative, reliable and cost-effective engineering solutions to the mining, industrial and construction sectors.

With extensive experience in business leadership, strategic planning, and organisational development, Makuwa has grown TKY Engineering into a trusted partner known for technical excellence, quality workmanship and customer-focused service. Her leadership is grounded in operational excellence, sustainable growth, integrity and the creation of lasting value for clients, employees and communities.

Under her direction, TKY Engineering provides a comprehensive range of engineering services. These include the refurbishment and maintenance of ventilation fans, valves, pumps, electric motors, furnaces and other industrial equipment. The company also offers project management services covering planning, coordination, execution and successful delivery of engineering projects.

Strong stakeholder and client relations remain central to her business, with professionalism, responsiveness, and service excellence guiding every engagement.

TKY Engineering is also a business partner of industrial ventilation systems manufacturer TLT-Turbo Africa and industrial pumps manufacturer PRZ Slurry Pumps. These partnerships strengthen the company’s ability to support mining and industrial clients with specialised ventilation fans, pumping and engineering solutions. By combining its service expertise with the technical capabilities of respected industry partners, TKY Engineering is able to offer clients broader, more integrated support.

Makuwa is recognised for her strategic leadership, commitment to innovation, and unwavering focus on safety, quality and continuous improvement. She is equally passionate about developing future engineering professionals through skills development, mentorship, youth empowerment and job creation.

Committed to international best practice, Makuwa has led TKY Engineering in aligning its operations with globally recognised management systems. The company has achieved ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System accreditation and has developed and implemented an ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System. These systems strengthen workplace safety, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, customer confidence, and continuous improvement across all engineering activities.

Her vision is to position TKY Engineering as a leading provider of engineering and industrial solutions across Southern Africa, recognised for excellence, innovation, safety, quality and sustainable transformation. She remains focused on building a resilient business that delivers exceptional value while contributing to inclusive economic growth.

Makuwa’s leadership philosophy reflects her broader purpose. 

“Engineering is not only about building and maintaining infrastructure; it is about creating opportunities, empowering people, and building a stronger future through innovation, integrity, safety and excellence,” she says.

Her journey demonstrates that effective leadership in mining requires technical understanding, commercial discipline, collaboration and a genuine commitment to people. Through TKY Engineering, she continues to challenge industry conventions, expand local capability, and inspire more women to pursue leadership and entrepreneurship.

As a woman leading in mining and engineering, Makuwa represents the growing impact of women who are transforming technical industries, building competitive enterprises, and creating pathways for the next generation of professionals.

Engineering is not only about building and maintaining infrastructure; it is about creating opportunities, empowering people, and building a stronger future through innovation  integrity, safety and excellence