The Fixer is a new series highlighting businesses or individuals who play a role in the circular economy by repairing and restoring the items we already own. As a salve to throwaway culture, fixers give precious items a new life through the act of mending.

Peggy Mandega is an electronics technician born and raised in Zimbabwe. She works at Turntable Guy, specialising in troubleshooting, repairs and services for turntables and their accompanying sound systems.

Peggy’s interest in industrial electronics began in high school. “I was a teenager obsessed with mathematics and physics,” she says. Her curiosity led her to her first repair project, fixing the one-plate electric stove at home. “From there onwards, I was inspired and curious about how electronics work,” she says. “I became the household fixer. From replacing a fuse in plugs, to changing a light bulb.”

After Peggy studied electrical and electronics engineering, she joined a radio and television manufacturing company as an apprentice. Having now worked in the industry for over 15 years, she looks back on this phase of her career as the most challenging. “I was the only woman in a company of more than 500 men,” she says. The company had to restructure the facility to accommodate her. “As much as it was a challenge, it was also a breakthrough, boosting my self-confidence as someone working in a male-dominated industry and contributing equally.”

Through working at Turntable Guy, Peggy has discovered a newfound interest in sound engineering and the art of sound and electronics combined. For her, the most exciting part of her job is the unique challenges that every repair brings. “Each challenge is an opportunity to learn something new from each solution.”

Peggy Mandega at work by Jana Heyns

Understanding circuit diagrams and operation guides has become second nature to Peggy, forming the foundation of her problem-solving approach. Her career has spanned the evolution of electronics − from purely mechanical systems to analogue electronics and, finally, to today’s digital technology. Electronic components, such as diodes, transistors and integrated circuits, have made modern complex electronics possible. And mastering these ‘thinking tanks’ of electronic systems is crucial to becoming a skilled technician.

While focusing on a niche, Peggy’s expertise has been key to building a strong and stable career. “Over the years, I have witnessed the rapid evolution of electronics, and in a country like South Africa this advancement is evident every day,” she says. “Looking ahead, I believe electronics will continue to expand and advance, increasing the demand for expertise in this field.”

• Photographs and video by Jana Heyns