Introducing Godfrey Mongatane CA(SA) These words by America’s first black president echo the sentiments and drive of Godfrey Mongatane, a proud recipient of The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) Thuthuka Bursary Fund (TBF). Mongatane is a technical learning manager at the Office of the Auditor-General, and a recently qualified chartered accountant CA(SA). The…
The quiet listener who’s made a big noise in business Sizwe Errol Nxasana is a man who has used his CA(SA) qualification to the maximum. If he had to do it all again, he says he would choose the CA(SA) path “many times over”. “It teaches you how any business works, and it has enabled…
The words that are often used to define PwC’s Suresh Kana. He shares insights on leadership and skills development. Great leaders are often unassuming people who create environments where others can give their best to what they do best. We greatly misunderstand the origins of great leadership and underestimate what we can learn from ‘Level…
Once you’ve visited this venue, you’ll agree that it makes a wonderful home away from home. The reality, as you know, is that business travel is often stressful. In addition to all the normal pressures of work – a challenging presentation or pitch, a tense meeting, or a difficult client interaction – separation from your…
BMW’s extravagant 650i Gran Coupé – the best four-door sports coupé yet? This is the first four-door sports coupé from BMW. The combination of a coupé and four doors is somewhat of an oxymoron, given that these features are not typically encountered in the same class of vehicle, but BMW has entered the foray, and…
Mondi Group’s Andrew King Mondi is an international packaging and paper group, with production operations across 30 countries and revenues of €5.8 billion in 2012. The Group’s key operations are located in central Europe, Russia and South Africa, and as at the end of 2012, it employed 25,700 people. Mondi Group has a dual listed…
A department headed up by a highly energetic and proactive team stands a great chance of being effective. As a hive of activity, the Standards Department of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) is the technical engine room for the whole organisation and all its members. Its prime objective – to influence legislation…
The cream of the QEII 2012 crop Keren Swanson, Allan Gray, trainee. Why you chose the CA(SA) route? I always wanted to be in the corporate sphere. There are few other degrees that come close to the opportunities that present themselves once you obtain your CA(SA) designation. Many business leaders are CAs(SA) and one immediately…
Jaguar track day There are many people who believe they can drive a car, but how many “drivers” can control a car when things go wrong? I was recently invited by a group of accountants to participate in a track day at Gerotek testing facilities. This was going to be a fun day involving aquaplaning…
Richard Gray Cottrell Auditing and Accounting Stalwart passes on. It is with deep sadness that I came to learn of the passing of Rick Cottrell on 5 November 2012. He was 76. My memories of Rick are many and varied. I first met him during my Coopers & Lybrand days and it was during his…