A study published in a recent issue of Accounting History Review examines the career journey of Nonkululeko Gobodo, who in 1987 became the first indigenous Black woman to qualify as a chartered accountant in South Africa, despite pervasive racial and gender discrimination.
The study identifies both barriers and enabling factors that influenced her career trajectory.
The narrative is developed through secondary sources, an online engagement with Gobodo, and an analysis of her memoir. Using a career-crafting framework, structural and organisational constraints are explored alongside individual strategies for career development.
Gobodo’s story illustrates how she built a successful career in the face of systemic inequalities, transitioning from a focus on personal achievement to championing the advancement of Black women in the profession. The study contributes to the literature on inequality in accounting by highlighting the interplay of sexism
and racism in South Africa and Gobodo’s strategic responses to professional and social exclusion within the field. Read more here.
