Page 13 - KZN Business Sense- 7.6

SUCCESS STEMS FROM HARD WORK

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

FIGHTING HUNGER IN SOUTH AFRICA

outh Africa’s fastest-growing understand that while charitable and most importantly, with more to the city from SA Harvest’s team of six staff, delivers in excess
food rescue organisation, food donations are critical at this than 200 beneficiary organisations branches in Johannesburg and of 65 200 meals per week to its
SSA Harvest, is continuing time, ending hunger also requires who feed hungry people every Cape Town. Relief stock is now beneficiary organisations.
its rapid expansion in its mission intervention in a system that day. Aside from these vital and being delivered to over 100 vetted
to end hunger in South Africa. causes hunger in the first place,” fulfilling relationships, we have beneficiaries that are all registered Cape Town
The NPO, which launched in says Alan Browde, founder and also built a magnificent team – non-profit organisations. More The NPO’s Cape Town operations
October 2019, operates from four CEO of SA Harvest. men and women who go the extra importantly, adds Browde, data are well established, operating from
warehouses around the country In the last 24 months, SA mile to enable SA Harvest to fulfil collection systems have been a base in Epping. With a capacity
– in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Harvest has rescued over 3,3 and go beyond its objectives.” bolstered to ensure, inter alia, to handle 45 tonnes per week, the
Durban and George. accurate reporting to our donors Cape distribution centre currently
million kilograms of food and Durban
The exponential growth of delivered the equivalent of 11 and efficient and equitable delivers 32 600 meals every
this young organisation, sister million meals to food vulnerable SA Harvest’s 380m² Durban distribution of produce to the fast- week, with a staff of four under
growing number of beneficiaries
to OzHarvest in Australia and communities across South Africa. warehouse in Briardene, together operations manager Lane Ridgway.
operating under the chairmanship SA Harvest’s fleet has expanded with a refrigerated four tonne in a substantially increased SA Harvest’s reach extends
geographical area “Transparency
of airline entrepreneur Gidon to five refrigerated vehicles, with truck and logistics solutions with is fundamental to our operation from inner city to townships to
Novick, comes in response to the access to additional vehicles outsourced transporters and staff rural areas. In addition to its
unprecedented increase in food through partnerships with logistics of seven enables the delivery of and we are being especially four main centres of operation,
vigilant in a situation where the
insecurity in South Africa. Prior companies. The NPO now employs an average of 12 500 meals per rapid extension of our services the organisation has satellite
to lockdown it was estimated a staff of 28 people. week to beneficiary organisations, networks in Mpumalanga,
that 13 million people were Alan Browde, SA Harvest extending from Richards Bay to the more rural and largely Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth.
neglected areas of KZN that have
going hungry daily. Today, Founder and CEO, says that in the north to Umlazi on the been severely affected by the Eastern Cape operations will
with unemployment reaching south coast to Hammersdale near be run from the newly opened
32,6%, the number has increased the delivery of over 11 million Pietermaritzburg. SA Harvest’s unrest.” George officeoffice. 
meals – which equates to more
to around 20 million people than 15 000 meals every day – was Durban operation was ramped up Johannesburg
experiencing hunger every day. significantly after the KZN riots For more information www.saharvest.org
way beyond the organisation’s in July, when two 1 000 square In Johannesburg, SA Harvest’s
“Ending Hunger in our initial expectations for the first two metre marquees were erected move into a dedicated warehouse
country requires both practical years. “Our journey has been filled on sports grounds in the city in Eastgate, Sandton, increases
and sustainable solutions in a with many milestones, the most centre within one day, serving its capacity to 40 tonnes per
collaborative framework. SA significant of which are the long- as a temporary warehouse for week. The region is headed up
Harvest is working with many lasting relationships we’ve created the massive volumes of food by operations manager Victor
organisations and corporates that with food donors, benefactors, and essentials being transported Mpofu, who, working with a

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