Meet our #SAIPAproud member

Maletsatsi Marake

I am a member and an affiliate of several prestigious professional bodies including SAIPA™, SAICA and ACFE. My professional affiliations have helped me stay abreast of developments in the profession and have further assisted me in my career. I have recently taken up a role volunteering as a SAICA Central Region: Bloemfontein District Member.

Currently, I work for the Provincial Treasury. However, the fact that I was trained by the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) and that my initial working experience was gained through working for Accounting firms, made it difficult at first to adjust to the government processes and systems, were manual systems and lack of standard procedures are still prevalent. Fortunately, I have been afforded the opportunity to participate in strategic leadership roles and serve in the human resource planning committee for the Department. Both roles have afforded me the privilege to apply my acquired experience, expertise and knowledge in designing and changing the work culture; and as well as in drafting the work skills plans.

My role within the Department requires me to work and maintain relations between sector departments (e.g. Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Energy, Public Works), South African Local Association (SALGA) National Treasury and other National departments. This includes SARS, six (6) municipalities including their consultants and respective audit teams. My main role is to support and monitor municipalities with financial reporting (e.g. submission of AFS, implementation of audit action plan, year-end audit process).  The public often measures our performance based on municipal performance which arguably should not be the case as we advise and recommend corrective measures, in line with what AGSA recommends. The municipalities are then entrusted to implement the recommendations.

I am pleased to say that in my circle of friends (ladies) who are in the Accountancy profession as well, we support and compliment each other. Competition is the last thing on our minds, as we are aware that the board rooms are still dominated by our male counterparts. Our professional behaviour and having good work ethics dictate all we do. We hold each other to very high standards.

Becoming members of professional bodies set us apart from the rest! Accountancy to me is not just a job, it is a calling. The joy I receive after making AFS submissions or completing audit finalisations is incomparable!