South Africa has an abundance of talented women with the potential to lead. ‘The talent is already there,’ says Anisa Vallee CA(SA), CFO of Standard Investment and Asset Management, a division of Standard Bank Group. ‘It’s up to us to embrace opportunities, keep growing and use our strengths to make a meaningful difference. Often, the…
Sometimes, it doesn’t take years of introspection to find your purpose. Sometimes, it’s right in front of you. THAT’S THE CASE FOR Benni-Lee Mossop AGA(SA). Her purpose is simple, she says, and she is reminded of it every time she comes home. ‘Everything I do is for my husband, who has stood beside me through…
It’s a long way from the fields of KwaMpande to the air-conditioned boardrooms where Sinempilo Ngubane CA(SA) takes her seat as a financial director – and further still to the glamorous stages, tiaras and evening gowns of the Mrs South Africa pageant, where she qualified as a finalist. However, the journey is one she cherishes…
Opportunity, once given to you, must be passed on. This is one of the beliefs that Tryphosa Ramano CA(SA) lives by. It’s a philosophy that was forged through her own experiences, and which has guided nearly every step of her career, from taking on the role of CFO of South African Airways during its crisis…
Malesela Montja CA(SA) argues that Africa’s infrastructure opportunity will depend less on the availability of capital than on the quality of project preparation, governance, and execution. In sectors such as water, logistics and digital infrastructure, investors need clear risk allocation, credible operating models and confidence that projects can deliver measurable economic and social value over…
Belinda Carreira, founder and CEO of SustainableDNA and first ever winner of SAICA’s Chairman’s Difference Makers Award for Sustainability back in 2022, has a unique take on ‘people, planet and profits’ – and she’s hoping others embrace it. PICTURE THIS. You’re a farmer, struggling to produce crops without a steady water supply. That’s not your…
From an early start in audit to work across finance transformation, finance operate and other sectors, Kavita Vanmali CA(SA) has stayed focused on how systems work, where they fail and what can be improved. She speaks about chartered accountancy as a broad foundation rather than a narrow path, and believes leadership starts with making it…
Andrew Alt helps developers and finance professionals understand each other. He sees AI as powerful but with limitations, useful for structured tasks but no substitute for human judgement. His message to newly qualified CAs(SA) is to think broadly, question assumptions and understand how systems work. In a profession being reshaped by rapid technological change, adaptability…
Disciplined, well-designed businesses are increasingly driving sustainable social impact. Instead of relying on donations or short-term grants, B2B social enterprises sell services to organisations and institutions. We asked Zanele Maduna CA(SA) to explain why. An estimated 10 million social enterprises operate globally. Those built on B2B models align closely with corporate ESG priorities while delivering…
It’s been said time and again that the CA(SA) qualification takes grit and guts. Patricia Malahlela, a senior accountant at Mckenzie & Associates, has shown that she has these qualities in droves – and then some. It’s no exaggeration to say that Patricia has become a master at overhauling her life: she has already done…