Women in water
From the boardroom and the laboratory to the plant’s cutting edge, women are redefining how big industry manages its water resources.
This Women’s Month, we introduce four members of the Talbot team who are helping industrial clients look beyond the surface to make the transition to sustainable water.

Angela Mayerhofer

“It’s really exciting that industrial players across so many business sectors are starting to realise the true value of water and that the time for taking it for granted is gone.
“Many companies have already counted the cost of water insecurity, which has given specialists in the treatment space an incredible opportunity to showcase what innovative processes can do to reduce, reuse and recycle their water resources.”
Mayerhofer is an expert in process design and helps clients to identify and implement best-fit solutions that maximise savings in water and costs.
She graduated from the University of Pretoria with a degree in chemical engineering and is responsible for commissioning new plants, trouble-shooting on existing facilities and estimating capital and operational expenditure for proposed solutions.

Boitumelo Matshediso

Boitumelo Matshediso is the senior project manager at Talbot’s optimisation and management unit and is responsible for the efficient operation of water and wastewater treatment plants.
Passionate about technology, she’s an ambassador for Rising Smart Water Professionals – a spin-off of the Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN). This global body is made up of young professionals with an interest in applying data-driven solutions to address some of the world’s most pressing water challenges.
“I have a keen interest in digitisation and constantly seek ways to enhance efficiency and productivity.
“One of my driving forces is continuous learning. There’s a saying that education is something that no one can ever take from you, and that’s stayed with me. No matter what, I own my education and it’s the most powerful tool I have to bring about change.”
Matshediso graduated from the Vaal University of Technology with a Bachelor of Technology and went on to earn her postgraduate degree in data science from the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Janine Grantham

As business performance and marketing manager at Talbot, Janine Grantham believes that sustainable water-use goes well beyond environmental sustainability.
“Apart from being environmentally friendly, companies that manage water responsibly are more effectively able to manage very real economic risks while at the same time attracting sustainability-focused investors and consumers,” she says.
“Working for a water solutions company, I’m able to make a difference by playing my part to secure a better future for the planet and generations to come.”
Grantham has had a varied career at Talbot, starting out as a member of the drafting team and going on to become a senior associate.
“In many of the roles I’ve taken on, I’ve lacked experience but made up for it with persistence, tenacity and by having the courage to ask the right questions.”
Today, she is a mentor to many and proud to work for a business that’s forward-thinking, progressive and committed to innovative ways of making companies, and the planet, prosper.

Adelle Abdoola

Adelle Abdoola, an associate at Talbot’s laboratory operations, graduated from the University of KwaZulu-Natal with a BSc Honours in biochemistry and microbiology.
She started out as an intern working under Dr Francois Talbot – one of the two brothers who founded Talbot more than three decades ago.
“Part of my role is to explore cutting-edge technologies and systems that support the laboratory’s growing impact in the environmental sector,” comments Abdoola, who adds that it is gratifying to work in a role that contributes to something greater than herself.
“Being part of a forward-thinking laboratory team allows me to explore innovative environmental and analytical technologies that address environmental challenges and meet market demands for a sustainable future.”
With a focus on providing accurate results swiftly, she continuously reviews and optimises existing systems for a diverse range of clients who are each, in their own way, tackling the global water crisis.