November 2025 Issue

Editorial

Celebrating purpose, progress, and the people who inspire it

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate — to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson

To Emerson’s words, I’d add this: honour, compassion, and usefulness often lead us to the most fulfilling kind of happiness — the kind rooted in meaning.

This issue of ASA carries a distinct energy — one of celebration, reflection, and renewed purpose
For me, November is a month of intentional reflection. It’s a time to honour the milestones and individuals who continue to shape our profession and our country. with courage, creativity, and conviction.

We begin with celebration. The recent SAICA Awards evening were nothing short of extraordinary. In a single evening, we honoured both our Top-35-Under-35 and our Trainee Trailblazer finalists and winners — a true expression of our From Cradle to Career principle.

These remarkable young professionals are not only excelling in their fields, but they are also redefining what leadership looks like in a world that demands agility, empathy, and innovation. Their stories are bold and brilliant. And later this month, we’ll bring this season of recognition to a close with the SAICA Chairman’s Awards, honouring those whose sustained excellence continues to elevate our profession.

There’s even more reason to celebrate. South Africa’s exit from the FATF greylist is a significant national achievement — and a moment of pride for our profession. It reaffirms the critical role we as SAICA play in strengthening governance, and accountability. It’s a collective win that underscores the importance of ethical leadership and the value of professional bodies in guiding business and society forward.

In that same spirit of pride, we salute Gizelle Venske CA(SA), who made it to the Top 5 of the Miss South Africa competition. Ma’am, congratulations! Your achievement is more than personal; it’s a powerful reminder of the diversity, dynamism, and multidimensionality of our profession.

This month, we also honour the men behind our Movember feature: Mahesh Kalana (CA(SA), who transformed his health through discipline and self-belief; Kgothatso Moloto CA(SA), who turned his passion into a thriving fragrance business, Niche Parfums; and Naeem Asvat CA(SA), who continues to champion wellness while honouring his late mother’s legacy.

When we put this feature together, it was important for us to depict, with great care, the various ways in which men’s health manifests in a modern world, and my hope is that you, the reader, resonate with these stories to the extent that they dare you to use vulnerability as a catalyst for positive change.

Finally, our focus on Audit Reform explores one of the most critical conversations shaping the future of our profession: how we continue to build trust, accountability, and transformation in the audit ecosystem.

As we reflect on the stories in this issue, those of bold innovation, quiet resilience, and courageous leadership, we return to Emerson’s words. To live well is not simply to achieve, but to uplift. And perhaps the truest form of happiness is found not in accolades, but in the lives we touch, the systems we strengthen, and the legacies we leave behind.

In pursuit of meaningful impact,

Kgauhelo Dioka
Editor: Accountancy SA