Why are accountants so cool, calm and collected? They have strong internal controls! Ziyanda Nyangule, a Chartered Accountant by profession is the equilibrium that keeps everything in check at the Automotive Industry Development Centre - Eastern Cape. The financial storyteller delves into why accounting is not just about counting beans but its about making every bean count. This is her story.
Born and raised by a widow of seven kids in eMampondweni (formerly Flagstaff) in the Eastern Cape, the last born is now a mother to a teenage girl, she is very self-driven, growth-oriented and is a dog with a bone.
Her journey with crunching numbers began early in grade 8 and had always envisioned her futuristic self-drawing business plans. A strong disdain for scientific periodic tables prompted her to pursue finance related studies going forward.
She completed her undergraduate studies at University of Fort Hare, BCom Accounting and later her CTA (Certificate of Theory in Accounting) at the University of South Africa (UNISA) on a part-time basis. She has always balanced motherhood and furthering her studies because she had a dream in Accountancy.
“I had a dream and it had to be realised. Despite not having tutors, role models at the beginning I did not want to be part of the few that gave up. There was already a fewer number of those who severed and finished – I wanted to be part of those. Those who complete and tell the story of their journey”.
As the AIDC-EC forges ahead with a plethora of development-based initiatives aimed at transforming SMMEs in the automotive aftermarket sector in the Eastern Cape, the go-getter loves being involved from the inception of projects right till execution stages since her role is the nucleus of the sustainability of the organisation. In a few weeks she will embark on a journey to Morocco.
‘’This learning mission is about understanding what the Moroccan government does in terms of offering incentives to investors. That broadens my knowledge because this means I will now have global understanding of the auto sector. It is not just about numbers but being involved in other things that will significantly impact the Eastern Cape province because when we come back, we will be able to advice provincial government about the kinds of offerings to offer the auto sector and investors’’
Recently, in the latest GAP Assessment led by the Aftermarket Support programme, her team collaborated with other departments to ensure that financial considerations are integrated in the organisation’s decision-making processes.
‘’The team saw a gap in the financial systems that SMMEs utilise in their businesses. Now a new model will be implemented to ensure that they are tax compliant, their bookkeeping systems are in order and all those challenges that were not initially considered by those SMMEs will be a thing of the past. Now we can properly capacitate those businesses due to the assessments we have done’’
The trailblazer in her career trajectory has always wanted to see her name with the CA(SA) title attached in a set of financial statements, and alike. Nyangule is an ambivert who is social but only in moderation and loves going on holiday at least twice a year just to explore a new city or outdoor activities such as mountain hiking. When she is not balancing sheets she is hosting friends or family for celebratory dinners at her home.
For any short or long distance drive, in order for a car to be appealing to her it has to have impeccable sound for this soulful music lover.
The AIDC-EC is proud to venerate all the women disrupting the status quo in the automotive sector.
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