2018 Top 35-under-35 Finalist: Sherylee Moonsamy

Sherylee Moonsamy joined the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), an area-based development agency of the City of Johannesburg as an Accountant in 2002. She was promoted to Finance Manager and led an integrated process to improve JDA’s financial, risk, procurement management and governance practices to shift the annual audit opinion from unqualified to clean. She then achieved her CA(SA) accreditation while holding down this demanding, full-time position.

In 2016 she was appointed as CFO in an acting capacity and after this period she was officially appointed to fill that role. Sherylee heads up a finance team of majority black women and serves as a mentor and role model for many professionals across ages and disciplines in the urban development sector.

Sherylee manages a capital budget of almost R1.8 billion per year as Chief Financial Officer at the JDA. It is because of her professionalism, dedication and attention to detail that the JDA has a track-record of clean audits and a reputation for sound financial management and excellent service delivery.

The JDA plays a significant role in the City of Johannesburg and knowing she is a part of the force that delivers on these projects creates a certain accountability and responsibility that is different from being in the private sector. She has a role to play in ensuring that  the JDA is always steered in the right direction and makes it contribution in addressing the socio-economic issues that plagues us as residents.

Sherylee’s team makes it possible for the JDA to deliver projects that include construction of the Rea Vaya stations and busways; the pedestrian and cycling route that connects Alex to Sandton; clinics, parks, and community centres in neighbourhoods like Noordgesig, Westdene, Jeppe, and Rossetenville; and upgrading of marginalised areas like Diepsloot, Kliptown and Orange Farm.