A child of the townships, Jeff van Rooyen rose above his circumstances through hard work, determination and opportunity. ‘I’ve lost count of the number of times people have counselled me on aiming too high. Most of the time, their advice was that I should lower the bar and set myself what they considered to be…
Persevere. The ride is worth it! In this year’s Top 35-under-35 competition’s Develop category, judges were looking for an individual using their designation, skills, and training as a CA(SA) to influence and develop business. Josh Moritz (32) Head of Operations and Finance at DocFox They asked whether the model is replicable, scalable, and sustainable and…
I stand on the shoulders of giants The 2022’s Top 35-under-35 overall winner was Mathabo Makhaya CA(SA), group financial manager at Harmony Gold Mining (health) and chairperson of the Investment Committee Mineworkers Provident Fund (MWPF). Mathabo Makhaya (32) Group Financial Manager Health at Harmony Gold Mining; Chairperson of Investment Committee, Mine Workers Provident Fund When…
Fighting the good fight The winner of the Top 35-under-35 Influence category gets judged on how they are impacting people, and how they make a difference in not only their personal spheres of influence but also the impact they have on society. Christiaan van den Berg (28) Co-Founder and Co-CEO, JOBJACK Christiaan van den Berg…
Taking entrepreneurship to an exponential level In this year’s Top 35-under-35 competition’s Lead category, judges were looking at how an individual uses their leadership skills, not only within business but also within their personal spheres to influence and inspire. A true leader creates value, motivates, disrupts, and fosters growth. Louw Barnardt (34) Co-founder and Managing…
Freedom through education The winner of SAICA’s Top 35-under-35 Game Changer award, Boitumelo Kuzwayo CA(SA), believes South Africa is in dire need of opportunities for our youth. ‘If things don’t change, we are potentially facing an Arab Spring.’ She is doing all she can to change this narrative with her students passing with a 90%…
Twenty-five years after joining Deloitte Africa as a trainee, Ruwayda Redfearn has taken up the mantle of CEO, becoming one of the biggest names in the professional services sector on the continent. Her vision is for the firm to be a trusted global partner in Africa and an employer of choice for top talent across…
To become an international sportsperson and a chartered accountant is beyond the scope of most people’s dreams. Yet that is exactly what Phumelela Mbande CA(SA), goalkeeper and captain of the South African women’s hockey team, has achieved despite countless challenges. Her team competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where Phumelela had the honour of being…
As a 22-year-old student, Professor Kurt Sartorius first set out to South America with an Indiana Jones mindset paddling down the Amazon’s Madeira River. He left describing the experience as one that ‘nearly broke me’. But in July 2022, 50 years later and at the age of 73 years, he found himself returning to paddle…
Kovini Moodly (37) multi-hyphenate visionary, chartered accountant, and founder of Boss Babes South Africa grew up in a little suburb south of Durban called Shallcross. Her aim with Boss Babes was breaking barriers and changing narratives around women uplifting each other, as well as recognising and changing stereotypes that women of colour face daily. Peace…