ASA September 2025 Heritage Month
Editorial
It’s with a sadness, yet excitement in my heart as I write my last Editor’s note. After 11 years, a phenomenal season at SAICA has come to an end. As I reflect back, I am proud of the profession and all the members who I have met along the way who are making such an incredible difference in their spheres of influence. My favourite part was sharing all of these positive stories in a world that so desperately needs it. May these amazing stories never cease!
It’s a new season! And as September hits us, the feeling of spring in the air brings along with it a ‘second breath’ to finish the last stretch of the year as we start planning what we’re going to do for the December holidays.
International travel is known to be a great way to combat monotony and give one a fresh and more open-minded perspective on life as you immerse yourself in new cultures. Research says there are many benefits such as improved mood and stress levels, with some studies reporting that it can improves one’s sleep for weeks after a trip − and then there are those incredible stories you keep for a lifetime. I can guarantee that after flipping the pages of this issue, most of you will start thinking about planning your next international vacation.
Chloe Dorasamy CA(SA), our cover feature, has adventured through 37 countries and says travel has enlightened him tremendously. During his secondment to Switzerland the company ran out of assignments, and he set out on his own adventure. It gave him time to think, and when he got back to South Africa he knew exactly what he wanted to do. Always being a lover of cars, he landed in the automative industry and soon was tasked to pilot a new data and analytics project. Its success has made a major change to the company’s business model.
And then there’s Marta Gersbach, Group CFO from Fourways Airconditioning, who has been at the company for 13 years and has been pivotal to its growth. She has relocated from Joburg to Cape Town and is now based in Portugal. She found having to adapt to a new culture an exhilarating venture which has also been a launchpad for exploring Europe. You can read more about her life in Portugal on page 16.
And last but not least, I commend Seelan Naicker, who qualified as a CA(SA) at the age of 57, a testament to the saying that ‘It’s never too late to accomplish your dreams’.
Wishing you a happy spring season! May it reignite hopes, dreams … and adventurous travels.
LYNN GRALA
Acting Editor: Accountancy SA
