Saneliswa Mbalane

Carving Her Own Path to Career Success

Saneliswa Mbalane stands out not just for her acumen but for her advocacy in reshaping the accountancy landscape for black women. As the recently appointed Financial Manager at the Black Management Forum (BMF) and a proud member of the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA), Mbalane’s journey has been inspiring for young accountants.

Born and raised in Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape, Mbalane’s journey could have gone in a different direction. Initially interested in science, her career path took a turn in high school with her accounting teacher encouraging a love for the subject that would ultimately set the foundation for her career.

After completing a National Diploma and an Advanced Diploma in Internal Auditing at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), Mbalane entered the professional world through a workplace readiness program followed by a critical stint of articles at Beeline Enterprise Development Services in Cape Town. Reflecting on this period, Mbalane recalled, “it was a difficult process, but I am proud that I completed all the components for my board exam, passing on the first attempt. This allowed me to qualify as a Professional Accountant (SA) and Tax Practitioner in 2017.”

Mbalane credits much of her success to the early influence of her high school teacher and the continuous support from mentors throughout her career.

She says, “when I started, you hardly even saw women as accountants in high positions, but now there are so many women who are pushing the boundaries. It is so encouraging to see and just goes to show that women belong here too.”

While progress is being made, she also acknowledges the systemic barriers that often hinder the progression of black women in accounting. Fortunately, the number of black women in the profession is growing and this growth should be accompanied by a sense of confidence. “We actually deserve to be in these positions… but also, we need to put in the work and not think that these positions will be given to us just because we’re women, but rather because we are knowledgeable, and we’ve done the work.”

Her early professional experiences at Engen and subsequent roles in the finance departments of various firms honed her skills not only in accounting but also in navigating the corporate world as a black woman. Over the years, her role has continuously evolved as her skills develop, leading her to one of her to the prestigious position she holds today at BMF. This role came after completing an influential leadership program with the International Women’s Forum South Africa (IWFSA), which she describes as “life-changing… it felt like they were actually giving us skills on how to get into management positions as women.”