Nqobani Mzizi

An unconventional path to accountancy success

Anyone who has walked the path to becoming a professional accountant can probably relate – there’s no single ‘right’ way to get there. Nqobani Mzizi, Professional Accountant (SA) and South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) board member, can attest, having taken a less than conventional route to get to where he is today.

A civil servant by profession and ‘careerist’ at heart, Mzizi holds a number of senior positions and is continually working at building a career that serves and supports the development of others. As such, in addition to sitting on the board of SAIPA as well as two others, he is an office-holder at local government level. He is also an academic facilitator and mentor – roles that he values above all else.

Having lost both his parents at a young age, Mzizi navigated his studies and found his feet in his career with a number of obstacles tripping him up along the way. He is refreshingly honest about the fact that these challenges set him back from attaining his accounting degree on time.

“It took me 12 years to finish my first degree. If someone had to open up my academic record, alongside the 34 or so modules that I passed they would see another 50 marked ‘failed’, ‘registered but did not attend’, or ‘requested rewrite’. There’s a whole other degree within my degree,” he laughs. “The reason I tell people this is because there is no shame in anyone’s journey, especially the ones that work hard to overcome adversity and reach their goal. Nothing meaningful comes easy, and delay is not denial. That’s what I always say.”

Mzizi says the opportunities he had to connect with mentors and other influential individuals along the way are the reason why he managed to break through the mental and social blocks that prevented him from progressing in his career. This, he says, is also why he is so passionate about human capital development and is always open to mentoring and supporting others on their way up the ladder, as a way to pay it forward.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for inspiring and influential individuals who made time for me and helped me when I needed it the most. My late parents who simply lived inspiring lives, my uncle Muzi who gave me a chance, Andile Sanqu who brought me down to earth so that I could get where I was going in my field, and so many other incredible people who have mentored me over the years.”

Mzizi believes that, as the tides change in the accountancy field and what is required of its professionals continues to evolve to meet the demands of the world today, creating opportunities for young people to learn and grow in the field is more important than ever. These are the next generation of professional accountants who will need so much more than technical skill in order to be able to navigate an ever-evolving industry.

“With systems becoming increasingly automated, and software being introduced every day that can do high-level skilled elements of our jobs that only we used to be able to do, the question young people entering the profession must ask is, what is going to help me stand out?”

It’s for this reason, he believes, that the accountancy professional of today and the future needs to do things differently.

“To the young people who are currently SAIPA members and those who plan to become members in the future, my advice is to transcend the stereotypes of being nothing more than a number cruncher. Our profession and people are so much more than that. Lighten up! Be more personable and engaging, and show your value and charisma as a human being, not just as someone with a prestigious professional title, and you’re bound to go far.”