Real estate Chris TysonChris Tyson, the chief executive officer of Tyson Properties, has had a longstanding relationship with the real estate industry, beginning long before he took the helm of his company in 2015. His connection to the field traces back to his childhood, where his first exposure came from sitting in the car while his mother conducted show houses. This early experience sparked a lifelong interest in real estate and laid the foundation for his career. Up Up Real estate Price No Cost Duration 30 minutes Assessment < Back EXPLORE FURTHER Objectives of this role Assist buyers and sellers in the marketing and purchasing of real estate property at the best prices and with the best terms. Estimate property value through skillful comparative market analysis. Your Business Guru Chris Tyson “a brilliant read”

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Executive, career, life and mental health coachingJacquie BhanaJacquie Bhana, after following a successful career spanning over 30 years in the corporate world, and after much thought about her future goals, has recently started her own business initiatives. She commented, “I wanted flexibility with my time, to dance to my own drumbeat, and to make an impact beyond the gates of a single organisation.” Her primary business, Jacquie Bhana Consulting, focuses on coaching and mentoring of leaders Up Up Executive, career, life and mental health coaching Price No Cost Duration Assessment < Back EXPLORE FURTHER Jacquie works mainly in the area of special interest that covers business and career coaching and includes professionals and small, medium and micro enterprises. (SMMEs). She does executive, career, life and mental health coaching, amongst others – with great success Your Business Guru Jacquie Bhana “a brilliant read”

Yogas joined Independent Media 18 years ago as a freelance journalist with the Post newspaper. In 2014, after 13 years in the industry, she was appointed as the editor of the Post newspaperYogas NairYogas joined Independent Media 18 years ago as a freelance journalist with the Post newspaper. In 2014, after 13 years in the industry, she was appointed as the editor of the Post newspaperYOGAS NAIR describe herself as a small girl from Tongaat living a big dream. She is the KwaZulu-Natal regional executive editor for the Independent Media Group, and editor of The Mercury newspaper. Yogas serves as the group public advocate for the group's internal ombudsman office. She is also the chair of the board of the Mercury Hibberdene Children's Home. Hard work and determination and a bucket list full of goals have shaped her career and enabled her to fulfil her dream of becoming an editor of a major newspaper. "You set your goals and you go after them," explained Yogas. She grew up in Tongaat in what she describes as a sugarcane farming community away from the bright lights of Durban, the big city. Yogas is proud to say that she still lives in Tongaat. She says, "I was a big dreamer in my younger days. Growing up as an Indian child, you are meant to live out your parents' dreams." Her father wanted her to study for a profession and become a lawyer or teacher. Although it meant that she would have to work and pay for her own studies, Yogas followed her dream and studied journalism at the ML Sultan Technikon. "It was tough, I had to take taxis and trains from Tongaat to Durban daily, but I persevered, and I did it. Each individual is unique Yogas joined Independent Media 18 years ago as a freelance journalist with the Post newspaper. In 2014, after 13 years in the industry, she was appointed as the editor of the Post newspaper. This was a ground-breaking event for women in journalism, as she was the first female editor in the 60-year history of the publication. She broke further ground for women when she became the second female editor of The Mercury in November 2016. The Mercury, KwaZulu-Natal's leading morning news-paper, reaches 250 000 people a day. Yogas ensures that 168-year-old publication is relevant and viable in a rapidly changing world, which she says is accomplished with a dynamic team of staff. According to Yogas, the executive chairman of the Independent Media Group, Doctor Iqbal Surve, believes in gender empowerment and has given his support to achieve this goal in their industry. Women do not need to have a different approach to business than men to be successful, says Yogas. She believes that her confidence and ability to lead has allowed her to be successful in business. "I think that each individual is unique in their own stead, whether you are male or female, so it is about what drives you, and to just be you, to be your original self, irrespective of whether you are male or female." She credits Dr Surve for being a great help on the way to getting to where she is. She says he has taken an interest in her career and believes in her ability as a leader. "When someone believes in you, it grows your confidence and motivates you and that has made me grow in leaps and bounds over the years." He has provided her with constant mentorship, which helped her to meet challenges to climb the ladder of success, quickly and relatively effortlessly. Yogas is happy with what she has achieved thus far and believes that in terms of work accomplishments that she has ticked the right boxes. "I have lived my dream of becoming a journalist and writing a number of headline stories and now I live my dream of being an editor. Journalism is what makes me thrive." Something that she enjoys doing in her role now is mentorship. She says, "I understand how difficult it is for someone coming straight from university or a community newspaper to get into mainstream, I think I have a role to play in mentoring and developing young journalists. That will be my focal point in coming months." Work-life balance Achieving a work-life balance is something Yogas admits that she is 'quite hopeless at' as she has a very demanding career in an unpredictable industry. "I try to strike a balance and try be fair on everybody, to be a good wife, mother and employee all at the same time, but I sometimes fail in an area." However, her children are growing up and are becoming more independent, which has lessened the demands on her time. In addition, her husband, Pat, and her two children, Kimeshan (20) and Mayuri (17), serve as a great inspiration for Yogas. She says, "They are my daily inspiration to live my best life and be the best that I can be. I think that having the support of your family helps you grow personally and professionally. They allow me to be who I am and do what I need to do without expectation, and I consider them a great blessing in my life." Never doubt yourself Although Yogas had big dreams as a child, there have been times when she has doubted herself. If she could give advice to her younger self at this moment, it would be, "Never doubt yourself, you can achieve. You learn along the way that you have to push yourself through the crowd, you have to get to the front, you have to believe in yourself." Now that she can live her dream, she would also tell her younger self, as she has told her children, to: "dare to dream". "Sometimes success does not come quickly, but if you persist and believe in yourself, you will eventually succeed. Dreams do come true," she concluded. Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

PEO (Professional Employer Organisation)PEO (Professional Employer Organisation)David WhiteDavid White who is the CEO of DRG Outsourcing has long been inspired by the dynamic nature of working with people. He says, “I dedicate my time to ensuring that I clearly articulate the purpose and desired outcomes each business wishes to achieve.” Up Up PEO (Professional Employer Organisation) Price No Cost Duration 30 minutes Assessment < Back EXPLORE FURTHER PEO (Professional Employer Organisation) As a core competency within DRG, we provide PEO Services to a wide range of local and international organisations. This services provision provides organisations with: Labour law foundation and supporting services, Employee taxation guidance and administration, and Social security registrations and payments. This comprehensive HR service is inclusive of a compliant human resource foundation of payroll administration, workman’s compensation, unemployment insurance, contracts of employment, job descriptions, employment equity, workplace skills plans and annual training record returns, and where applicable, application and submission of critical skills and general work permits. Our comprehensive HR service provides the following human resource foundation: Payroll administration, inclusive of monthly processing, management reports, payslips, IRP5’s, e-filing and nett pay and third-party payment transfers, Workman’s compensation cover for all staff, Unemployment Insurance Fund registrations and payments, Contracts of Employment, Job Descriptions for staff, Employment Equity Plan and Report, Workplace Skills Plans and Annual Training Records, Application and submission of Critical Skills and General Work Permits where applicable, and Access to Allan Gray Retirement Fund, Discovery Medical Aid, and Life and Risk cover products and services. Typically, customers using our PEO services are: NGO’s without a fully-fledged HR Department, Organisations funded through government agencies as the Growth and Jobs Fund, Larger organisations that require project and unusual payroll and employment support, Mid-size companies wishing to focus more on core activities and not be pulled into the administration of the business, and SME’s and start-up enterprises that wish to ensure their HR responsibilities are properly structured and fully compliant – from the very beginning. We are a team of professionals, supporting the human resource function within your organisation, ready to aid and provide assistance as and when needed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaTvJe7Cya4 Your Business Guru David White PEO (Professional Employer Organisation) David White's News Blog & Articles “a brilliant read” David White Articles

Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Sihle Ngcamu Chief Executive Officer (Acting): Mr Sihle Ngcamu This programme is three-fold in that it consists of: • Investment Facilitation - responsible for investments attraction into the province of KwaZulu-Natal; • Destination Marketing - that promotes the province of KwaZulu-Natal globally as a premier investment and trade destination. • Business Retention and Expansion - that supports and facilitates business retention and expansions throughout the province.

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CANDICE PADAYACHEE is the forensic director for KPMG. She maintains primary responsibility and oversight of the Forensic Division in the Durban region, leading a multi-disciplinary team and engaging the firm's key clients.Candice PadayacheeCANDICE PADAYACHEE is the forensic director for KPMG. She maintains primary responsibility and oversight of the Forensic Division in the Durban region, leading a multi-disciplinary team and engaging the firm's key clients.CANDICE PADAYACHEE is the forensic director for KPMG. She maintains primary responsibility and oversight of the Forensic Division in the Durban region, leading a multi-disciplinary team and engaging the firm's key clients. Candice is an admitted attorney of the High Court, and holds a master's degree in Advanced Labour Law (Cum Laude) from the University of KwaZulu- Natal (Pietermaritzburg). She was raised in Pietermaritzburg and began her career as an associate at a leading KwaZulu-Natal law firm, but was soon drawn to forensics. This interest was fuelled primarily by her passion for seeking justice and ensuring that as a country and as a community, ethics and right practice remain in place. Her view is that "fraud, bribery and corruption severely impact peoples' lives." She added, "It is so rewarding that the work KPMG Forensic does, actively infiltrates these economic crimes." Candice particularly specialises in fraud risk management, forensic investigations, compliance management, and litigation support. "I am fully competent in the investigation process throughout the phases of preliminary considerations, planning, and gathering of information, analysis, reporting and closing. This includes the concept of embedding forensic technology in investigations." She provides holistic management solutions to clients in the public and private sectors. Candice has a proven track record with business development and an established client portfolio, having assisted various organisations in a manner consistent with regulatory requirements and the organisation's business needs. A passion for seeking the truth Getting to where Candice is in her career involved a combination of things inside as well as outside her control. She remarks, "Clichéd as it may sound, my career required lots of hard work and sacrifices, both on my part and that of my family." Candice says that she has benefitted from the support of people around her, especially from her husband and two children, her parents, wider family and friends who have been the biggest supporters in her career progression. She adds that 'tremendous colleagues and mentors at KPMG' encouraged her to pursue her dreams, and they also gave her the feedback she needed to develop her strengths and focus on the things that are important to her. Candice recognises the contribution of her team in achieving positive results. She believes that success in forensic requires a passion for seeking the truth and an objective mind to get the relevant facts. An inspired leader Candice feels inspired by many people. Firstly, her grandmother, a professional nurse who made many personal sacrifices to assist those around her. She illustrated that, in the end, there was great reward in one's dedication to willingly assist others. This encouraged Candice's passion and desire to study further and in her wanting to assist people for the greater good. Secondly, Candice is inspired by her female professional colleagues, especially the former director of Forensic at KPMG, who became her mentor. She demonstrated the place and need for a strong female leader, according to Candice. "She could lead with strength and fierceness, but also with kindness and compassion. She was dedicated to the growth of young leaders." And this, in turn, inspires Candice to help develop young leaders. She says that women often need a different approach to men to be successful in business, as they have different dynamics and relations to deal with. "As a woman you need to work hard, focus on the contribution you bring to the table, make sure you raise your voice when you need to be heard. Being a woman, being a mother and being a wife bring different challenges in business." Work-life balance requires structures Achieving a work-life balance is interesting for Candice. "It has become a buzz word in a busy world, yet means different things to different people", she remarks. For her, to achieve such balance requires a conscientious focus on structure. Together with her husband, they have set boundaries for family time. Her two young children require her attention after her workday and have a full homework schedule. She says it is important to set hours aside for her family and make sure that she is fully present during that time. Family holidays are important and help create good memories that are essential for the children to have. Candice is proud that her children know her as a working mother, and she hopes that her example will help them believe that they can aspire to be anything that they are passionate about. Live to fulfil a purpose If she could, Candice would advise her younger self to believe more in her own abilities and "tune out the self-doubt". She would also assure herself that, "You already have everything you need in you", and that God is with her and ready to take her on journeys she could not even imagine. Candice is pleased by her accomplishments but admits that she looks back with some disbelief at times. She wants to continue to live in a motivated way that fulfils her purpose in life. At a personal level she wants to grow her leadership abilities, grow in the firm, and grow as a person in every way. "I feel that I am still young, that most of my journey still lies ahead and there are exciting things to come," she concludes. Cheryl Govender CHERYL GOVENDER is the founder and owner of The Cake House in Pietermaritzburg. She is a qualified chef and professional cake artist. The Cake House has become a leading provider of designer cakes including engineered life-size cakes. Cheryl's exceptional cakes, each a masterpiece, have been featured in magazines and on television, and The Cake House is recognised as a leader in new age sugarcraft. Cheryl is inspired by successful bakeries and cake artists. She explains, "This is a tough industry and requires not only talent, but a business mind, people skills, market insight, tenacity, and continuous learning and growth." One of her biggest inspirations is Buddy Valastro, an American baker who is the star of the reality television series 'Cake Boss'. Be clear about what must be achieved Cheryl believes she got to where she is now and reached her goals by being clear about what she needed to achieve and why she needed to achieve them. She says her career started when she was fourteen when she was handed down decorating tools that her sister no longer needed. "Although I was a real tomboy, beating the boys at their own games in the streets, I did girly stuff when I went home, like playing with cake decorating tools and my dolls," she laughed. Cheryl learned about sugar art by reading books from the municipal library and often left the kitchen in a mess after experimenting. Her Consumer Studies teacher recognised Cheryl's talent; arranged for her to attend a cake decorating course, and gave her a toolset, which she treasures to this day. This teacher, now a retired school principal, adopted Cheryl as a daughter, helped her to believe in herself, and became her mentor to this day. Cheryl won a Consumer Studies Inter School Award in matric due to her passion for cake decorating, but at that time she considered it a hobby, not a career. After a year at college, Cheryl married and became a mother. She joined the corporate world but kept on making decorated cakes as a hobby to supplement her income. When her son was two years old, Cheryl entered and won the Pietermaritzburg Royal Show sugarcraft competition. This led to her teaching sugarcraft on a part-time basis at the now FET College in Northdale, something she continued passionately for 25 years. This Cheryl said, was fulfilling: "empowering women has always been close to my heart". Focus on one thing and do it well Cheryl gained wide experience in the corporate world, including ten years in shipping and international travel, before she started her own export business. This business crashed during the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and she "fell back on her hands", starting a food catering business that also provided cakes. Cheryl made a few designer cakes assuming there was little market for these due to the high prices, but word of her quality and expertise spread and orders increased. A traumatic divorce, the demands of being involved in catering, wedding décor, training and making cakes at the same time, made her realise that she needed to streamline her activities. In 2012 she decided to focus on one thing only and do it well and opened The Cake House. Cheryl, a single mom had herself, her mother's assistance, two children, and a house. As she had lost her vehicle, Cheryl went everywhere in running shoes while carrying cake ingredients and other items in a backpack. Nothing was handed to her; she had no money and could not get a bank loan. Cheryl understood the risks involved but her faith and trust in God helped her. She managed to buy all her industrial baking equipment from a helpful appliance store on a three-month cash basis. Her business remains debt-free to this day. Business skills are unrelated to gender In Cheryl's view, women and men need the same business approach, as the skills required for a successful business are unrelated to gender. "Tenacity, hard work, honesty, patience and endurance are equally required from men and women." She does, however, concede that women face more challenges. She has had to face abuse, being a mother, and a divorce. Achieving a work-life balance boils down to discipline for Cheryl. "It is necessary to make time for your family and yourself, and also to rest, but not working can be scary for a business owner with much to do," she says. "I've had to learn to set boundaries, say no, and cut myself off from work when it's time to relax and unwind." Gardening, time with her family and puppies, and doing things outside of the business help create a balance. Brand ambassador Cheryl is happy with what she has accomplished thus far and readily give others credit. Without her mother, she could not have set up The Cake House. Without the help of her husband Alan, her family, and staff members, she would not have been able to grow the business. She feels honoured having recently being appointed a brand ambassador with royal status, for Rolkem Colours, one of the world's largest food colourant providers. While Cheryl is satisfied with the place she has reached, she is not comfortable about remaining there. Cheryl dreams of making the province proud of The Cake House as a tourism attraction. With a growing support structure in place, she is prepared to take risks within her means and take the business to the next level. Back

For Mills, one day is never the same as the next which he says is fantastic. "The wonderful thing about Boxer is that there's always a buzz and it's fast paced." He explained that he is the first to come in, in the morning and the last to leave and he travels a lot both locally and internationally Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Andrew Mills For Mills, one day is never the same as the next which he says is fantastic. "The wonderful thing about Boxer is that there's always a buzz and it's fast paced." He explained that he is the first to come in, in the morning and the last to leave and he travels a lot both locally and internationally By seeing other people and inspiring other people that inspires you to be a better individual ANDREW MILLS, the marketing director at Boxer Superstores, says that his job is to ensure that he is inspiring his staff and others throughout the business, while implementing marketing strategies that retain and attract shoppers. Mills matriculated at Kearsney College and then went on to complete a diploma in marketing. Following this qualification, Mills entered the direct sales environment and worked his way up to sales manager. This was a position that he thoroughly enjoyed as he said he was able to inspire and drive his staff. After two years in that position, Mills joined a multinational business in FMCG and he then joined Boxer in the retail industry, where he has been for two decades. He says, "I remember coming into the Boxer reception area, where were a whole lot of people sitting and we were literally lined up like sardines. I was sitting amongst a very mature generation of fantastic candidates and eventually got my chance to go and sit with the then merchandise director Eugene Stoop. I then described my journey up to that point." He explained further that Stoop then asked him the question: "If I was given the opportunity to look after the Boxer brand what would I do?" Mills said that he gave a whole shopping list of things that he believed that he would be able to inject into the Boxer business. "When I finished the interview, I left feeling positive and later that day I received a call from Eugene saying I was hired. I then joined Boxer and 22 years later I have never looked back." He says that the points that he raised in that interview were implemented just three short years later and that he made good on his commitments to the business. Mills describes his job, "I am the brand custodian for the Boxer company, I put together and coordinate the national marketing activities for the greater Boxer business across the different divisions. I also implement marketing strategies that best engage our shoppers and potential new shoppers into our Boxer stores. We are based here in KwaZulu-Natal, we have a business which has close to 250 stores and we've traded for over 40 years, it's a fantastic environment to be in." He says that the management team does not pigeon hole themselves into a particular area of responsibility and that their years of experience mean that they are able to move across all the different portfolios to inject their understanding. "We are a very close-knit unit and the fantastic thing about working for this company and within the Pick n Pay Group is that we utilise our time to inspire, groom and coach others through the company. This company has been a business that really looks at the individual regardless of race, gender or creed, it's about the person and what they are capable of. It's up to us to make sure that we can groom the generations that will follow through to make sure they will take this business into the next few generations with successful healthy leadership." For Mills, one day is never the same as the next which he says is fantastic. "The wonderful thing about Boxer is that there's always a buzz and it's fast paced." He explained that he is the first to come in, in the morning and the last to leave and he travels a lot both locally and internationally. "There is always something happening. You've got to have fun, even if there are deadline pressures or you have to do massive distance or work long hours. You've got to enjoy what you are doing." He says that he is blessed to work alongside some fantastic individuals within his team. Mills added that every single person in his particular department really goes out of the way to excel and perform as well as share their energy with him. Mills concluded, "It's about meeting and inspiring people and getting the opportunity to coach others and groom others. Sometimes just a word or a sentence said to somebody else can inspire them to do their best. By seeing other people and inspiring other people that inspires you to be a better individual, that's a fantastic part of the job within the industry that I operate in." He has always had a passion for marketing and sales and positively influencing other people.

Bongi holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a postgraduate diploma in investment management and banking, both bestowed upon him by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Subscribe Home KZN Leaders Up Up Bongi Mkhize Bongi holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a postgraduate diploma in investment management and banking, both bestowed upon him by the University of KwaZulu-Natal Success stems from hard work Bongi Mkhize, the CEO of the KwaZulu-Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund (NJMPF), grew up in Ndwedwe which is situated in a very underdeveloped region. In commenting on his childhood and early schooling Bongi said, “As a young man I had to juggle between herding my father’s cattle as well as going to school. In so doing this taught me to be disciplined and self-sufficient in facing the challenges of life.” For Bongi there were challenges such as studying without text books because his father could not afford to buy them. However, despite the challenges faced in acquiring a basic education Bongi did push through them and achieve his goals. Bongi holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a postgraduate diploma in investment management and banking, both bestowed upon him by the University of KwaZulu-Natal. His first job was with one of the banks where his duties included customer service and bank telling. Bongi saw a need to further his education and that paved a way to serve and complete his South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) articles, which he did with the Office of the Auditor General. Here Bongi gained significant experience in compliance, statutory, auditing and accounting in the public sector. His auditing experience includes internal and external auditing of both provincial and national departments, municipalities, and public entities. Bongi then was provided with an opportunity to join the KwaZulu-Natal Joint Municipal Pension Fund. He explains, “I started as the finance manager and grew through the ranks and served as the chief financial officer from 2011 to 2018. The board appointed me as the deputy CEO in 2018 which gave me a more strategical role that paved the way for me to become CEO in 2019.” As he was from a previously disadvantaged community, a major challenge that Bongi has faced has been the need to double his efforts in the work environment in order to be on par with his peers and achieve his job targets within a normal time. However, he says, “My story, which is the story of my life has always been to push myself to the limit to ensure that I achieve better than my peers. I think that my success stems from hard work, dedication and commitment.” Last but not least, Bongi is easily able to adapt to whatever environment he is thrown into. In commenting on what has motivated his career path Bongi says, “I am inspired by poverty because of my humble beginnings. I saw where my community was struggling, and I thought that I needed to change that narrative and do things differently. Basically, in so doing, I had to look for financial literacy programmes because I felt that is where my community and people in South Africa in general are lacking and is the big issue. In order to alleviate poverty, one has to ensure that people are well equipped to make those informed decisions.” “My passion is seeing our members making good financial decisions and striving for their wellbeing at retirement. Even now government wanted to allow access to pension fund during your working life. Obviously, this means exposing our communities to even more risk rather than saving for retirement.” One of the areas that interests Bongi is the changing shape of the global economy and the rapid development of technologies. He believes innovation, such as robo-advisors and the modernisation of products and services through IT, has a part to play in NJMPF’s line of business. “Using technology to lower fees is critical for a retirement funding service and its members. Experts believe that as entities have grown, complexity, specialisation, silos, and ultimately hierarchy have choked off the capacity to readily adapt and innovate. Finding innovative ways to enhance and accelerate member participation in the retirement funding arrangement is important.” Bongi’s work hours are very demanding and he says that he spends most of his time at work. However, in order to disconnect and relax, he spends time with his family – his wife and three children. In conclusion Bongi says, “My motto is every day is a second chance. So, whatever was not done correctly the previous day, you’ve got today to correct.”