KZN Business Sense-Doing Business Properly
- Grant Adlam
- 6 hours ago
- 2 min read
This edition of Business Sense brings together a compelling group of contributors who speak directly to the realities shaping business in KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa in 2026. From leadership grounded in humanity to the growing demands of compliance, trust and profitability, the voices in this issue offer insight that is both practical and timely.
We begin with Susan Abro, whose story, A Heart for Family Law, reminds us that leadership is not defined solely by commercial success, but by service, integrity and resilience. Her decades-long career in family law demonstrates how trust is built through empathy, professionalism and an unwavering commitment to people.
IFRS 18 and what local businesses need to do. His contribution highlights how clarity in reporting is becoming central to credibility, investor confidence and long-term sustainability. Governance and accountability take centre stage in Johan van Deventer’s analysis of information compliance. He makes it clear that 2026 is a turning point: organisations are now expected to prove that compliance is active, embedded and effective, particularly as AI, data governance and cyber risk increasingly intersect.
Heather Flack delivers a necessary warning on SARS’s expanding use of third-party data. Her article emphasises how informal financial habits and blurred personal business boundaries are no longer sustainable in an era of data-driven enforcement.
Financial transparency is further explored by Farouk Ebrahim, who unpacks the implications of Profitability and growth are addressed by Trevor Clark, who challenges business owners to move beyond revenue obsession and focus instead on margin, discipline and sustainable profit. This theme is reinforced by Terry Flack, who argues that trust not branding is the true currency of modern business. In a digitally transparent world, reputation is earned through behaviour, not slogans.
Looking forward, Sameer Kumandan reminds us that speed without accountability is risk. As automation and AI accelerate decision-making, the ability to defend those decisions will define competitive advantage.
David White challenges conventional thinking in his article on rethinking mentorship for the SME economy. He argues that traditional, informal mentorship models are no longer sufficient for today’s entrepreneurs and calls for more structured and accessible approaches that support business growth and leadership development.
Together, these contributors make one thing clear: the businesses that succeed in 2026 will be those that combine performance with principle, growth with governance, and ambition with trust. We trust this edition equips you to do exactly that.
