Zungu has developed a comprehensive set of guidelines to assist the South African mining industry to better cater to the needs of female miners. As a result of her research, the industry implemented new protective gear, designed specifically for women working underground.

The mining industry is a male-dominated sector and all equipment and clothing were designed along the male physique,” she says. “The risks for female miners in particular are concerning, where everything from toxic inhalations of underground gases to unwanted sexual advances in the workplace are a daily reality.

Zungu, an award-winning research expert in the medical field, is determined to champion change in the South African mining industry to ensure that women make it back to their homes and families safely at the end of each working day. As such, sustainability, safety, profitability and empowerment are major priorities in Zungu’s scientific endeavours. (Read more about her in the Mail & Guardian article. Mail & Guardian is an NSTF media partner.)