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Crystal Huntley
Economist at NedbankCrystal Huntley holds a Master’s degree in Economic Policy from SOAS University of London. She began her career in 2011 as an intern at the National Treasury, gaining valuable insights into the national budgeting process.
In 2012, Huntley joined the South African Reserve Bank’s cadet programme as an economist. By 2013, she was employed permanently in the Research Department, focusing on the analysis of emerging markets outside Africa. After four years, she transitioned to the International Department, where she worked on matters related to the G20 and BRICS. Her role involved establishing the SARB’s stance on international central banking issues, coordinating relevant work across the SARB, and preparing Governors for key meetings.
Following her tenure in the International Department, Huntley returned to the Research Department, concentrating on domestic economic analysis and its implications for monetary policy. In November 2022, she joined Nedbank, where she focuses on domestic industry analysis and explores the impact of the energy transition on the local economy.
Lerato Kungoane
Partner at Lka AttorneysLerato Kungoane holds an LLB (University of Pretoria) and LLM in Labour Law (University of South Africa )and is a founding partner of the Lancaster Kungoane Attorneys an all-female law firm committed to empowering women.
Kungoane joined MacRobert Attorneys as a candidate attorney where she gained experience in commercial property and individual property transactions and all aspects of Commercial and Employment Law. She was later appointed as an Associate at Crafford Attorneys until 2015.
Kungoane advises clients in all aspects of Employment Law, Commercial litigation and Commercial drafting including the drafting of general corporate agreements such as commercial leases, joint venture agreements, employment contracts and disciplinary codes and represents clients in all labour forums, including the Labour Court and the CCMA. Her clients include mainly corporate entities.
She is a member of SASLAW and the ILO and a member in good standing of the Law Society of South Africa and the Law Society of the Northern Provinces.
Nonzuzo Makanda
Chairperson at Fin LiteracyNonzuzo Makanda boasts over 14 years of experience in the financial services sector, specializing in banking, investment, fintech, and asset management.
She is the founder and chairperson of the National Financial Literacy Association and National Financial Literacy Advocacy (NFLA) (Pty) Ltd. NFLA focuses on developing enterprise strategies for SMMEs in townships and rural areas, aiding with industry compliance, market access, and financial access to boost employment opportunities. The organization also enhances financial inclusion through personal finance management and financial literacy training.
Makanda holds a B.Com in Economics and Finance, a B.Com Honours in Business Management with a focus on investments, and an M.Com in Economics. Her previous roles include serving as the secretariat for the presidential youth working group on economic transformation and as an Exco member of the Thabo Mbeki Youth Hub. Currently, she sits on the boards of the Small Enterprise Finance Agency and Small Enterprise Development Agency, chairing the Audit Committees amid their merger.
Additionally, Makanda is an Executive Committee member of the Women Economic Assembly (WECONA) SMME cluster and a member of the BRICS Women Business Alliance's innovation development working group. Her passion lies in advancing financial inclusion and development for SMMEs, women, and youth.
Millycent Mashele
Director and Head of Technical & Training at MGI RASMillycent Mashele is a Director and Head of Technical and Training at MGI RAS, an auditing and consulting firm focusing on assurance, advisory and training.
Mashele is a distinguished leader in accounting and audit, bringing extensive expertise to executive leaders and professionals. As a Chartered Accountant (SA), Registered Auditor (RA), Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), and Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA), she combines deep knowledge with strategic insights.
With over 15 years of experience in auditing, accounting, financial management, and business development, Mashelet has led high-impact projects and driven strategic growth in both private and public sectors. She is dedicated to fostering excellence and empowering future leaders.
Nonceba Mhlauli
Deputy Minister in the Presidency at SA GovernmentNonceba Mhlauli currently serves as the Deputy Minister in The Presidency. She is one of the younger appointees in President Cyril Ramaphosa's executive team.
Mhlauli earned her degree in journalism from Rhodes University in 2011 at the age of 21, where she became an active and influential member of the South African Students Congress (SASCO). In 2014, she joined the African National Congress (ANC) in the Western Cape as a media liaison officer. Two years later, she was appointed as the party’s caucus spokesperson in Parliament.
In 2019, when the late Jackson Mthembu was appointed Minister in The Presidency, he selected Mhlauli as the ministry’s spokesperson. Her effective communication in this role has led to her current position as Deputy Minister in The Presidency.
Ncumisa Mkunqwana
Chief Executive Officer at Chapu Chartered AccountantsNcumisa’s background highlights a robust academic foundation and significant professional achievements. Hailing from Idutywa, Eastern Cape, she is a Chartered Accountant (SA) and Registered Auditor (RA) with extensive experience across both private and public sectors.
Her educational journey is marked by a B Com degree, Honors (CTA), and a Masters in Taxation from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University. Achieving Chartered Accountant status on her first attempt underscores her dedication and aptitude. Her credentials and accomplishments reflect a strong commitment to her profession and her ability to excel in varied accounting environments.
Ncumisa's career began with SAICA articles at Deloitte, where she acquired fundamental skills in accounting and auditing. She then transitioned to General Motors South Africa as a General Accounting Coordinator, where she developed leadership and organizational capabilities. This role allowed her to apply her expertise in a managerial capacity within the private sector.
A shift to the public sector came with her role at the Auditor General of South Africa, where she focused on audit quality. This move demonstrated her adaptability and effectiveness across different sectors. Her advancement to Business Unit Leader in Quality Management showcased her proficiency in maintaining high standards and compliance within the audit process.
Ncumisa joined Chapu CA in February 2023 to lead the Quality Assurance Unit, further developing her skills in quality management and audit quality control. Her recent appointment as Chief Executive Officer, effective March 1, 2024, positions her to drive significant growth and success for the organization. Passionate about people development, Ncumisa is a thought leader in audit quality, actively sharing her expertise through various media channels in South Africa.
Yanga Mputa
Tax Ombud at South African Tax OmbudMs Yanga Mputa joined the OTO as South Africa’s first female Tax Ombud on 1 July 2023.
She has more than 20 years of experience in tax. She started her tax career in 1999 when she joined the SARS Head Office as a Tax Specialist. After that, she moved to Arthur Andersen as a Senior Tax Consultant. In 2003, she joined the National Treasury’s Tax Policy unit as Deputy Director, International Tax. Three years later, in 2006, she became Director: International Tax, where her role included, amongst others, negotiating South African tax treaties, developing South African international tax policy, and managing international tax legislative amendments.
In 2009, she returned to the SARS Large Business Centre as an International Tax Specialist. During this period at SARS, she represented South Africa in the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes. She was one of the assessors who conducted a peer review assessment on the implementation of international standards on the exchange of information in the following countries: the United Kingdom, India and Panama.
In 2014, she returned to the National Treasury’s Tax Policy Unit as Chief Director: Legal Tax Design. She played a sterling role in developing the South African annual tax legislation, overseeing the designing and drafting of all tax legislation, including negotiating South African tax treaties. Her work involved working closely with the two finance committees of Parliament to finalise the tax legislation, together with other National Treasury and SARS colleagues.
Since January 2017, she has served as the South African representative on the OECD/G20 Steering Group of the Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS), which is charged with the implementation of BEPS measures to tackle tax avoidance, improve the coherence of international tax rules and ensure a more transparent tax environment.
Dr Thelela Ngcetane-Vika
Management and social scientist at Wits School of GovernanceDr Thelela Ngcetane-Vika is a respected corporate governance and leadership scholar, management and social scientist. She is also a legal scholar specializing in international business law, published author and researcher at the Global Centre for Academic Research/South Valley University. Her research focuses on corporate governance laws in South Africa and UK, governance in general in the Continent of Africa, international trade law, women empowerment and leadership development frameworks.
She also offers Advisory and Consultancy Services in Corporate Governance, Leadership and Law. She has been asked to address various audiences on the above specialties. As a bricoleur, she uses transformative approaches to blend the practice of law and the development of women as a research agenda. As an advocate for social justice, she is involved in action research for championing human rights issues in Africa and globally. As a Corporate Governance specialist, she tirelessly advocates for good governance. She is currently an Engagement Tutor and Assessor for the Women Leadership Development Programme at Oxford University’s Saïd Business School, UK.
Verashni Pillay
Media Entrepreneur at Explain.co.zaVerashni Pillay is a South African media owner who is passionate about digital and the future of journalism. She is the founder of explain.co.za: a digital communications agency, and a partner news website with a WhatsApp-driven portal offering accessible and empowering news for those who don’t usually follow current affairs.
It was named the best news literacy project in Africa in 2021 by the World Association of Newspapers. The company broke even in its first year and has seen double-digit revenue growth since.
She was previously editor-in-chief of the Mail & Guardian and HuffPost SA. She worked as a senior reporter for years covering politics and general news, specialises in digital media management and relishes the task of putting together the right team to create compelling journalism across platforms. Pillay is a recipient of a CNN African Journalism Award, an OSF journalism fellowship, the Mandela Washington Fellowship and was named one of BBC’s 100 women globally.
Siziwe Zulu
Post Investment Associate at National Empowerment FundSiziwe Zulu is a Business Development Officer at the National Empowerment Fund where she has been working for over 8 years. Her professional journey is evident in the roles as a Financial Analyst, Investment Associate and Project Manager for the Taxi Relief Fund. She managed a fund worth R1.135 billion to assist with the impact of Covid-19 for the Taxi Industry.
Siziwe, sits in a strategic role for the Women Economic Empowerment Program by the Presidency. Her role includes leading Financial Institutions (both Private and Public sectors) and facilitating sessions, held to empower women in South Africa. She also participates in Executive committee meetings of the Women Economic Assembly (Wecona) which was launched and inaugurated by the South African President in October 2021.