GET TO KNOW OUR
PRESIDENT
APRIL 2025
OUR PRESIDENT
POWER SPACES
PAULA’S JOURNEY
STAKEHOLDERS EVENT
CELEBRATING ONE
OF OUR BURSARY
RECIPIENTS
BOOK CLUB ZA
Introduction of
New President
Identify. Nurture. Lead
Johannesburg with
Allan Gray
Swimming to raise
funds for AWCA
with standard Bank
Yolanda Sapho
Embracing a culture
of reading
Identify. Nurture. Lead
GET TO KNOW OUR PRESIDENT: PUMLA MOLOPE
Pumla was born in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, spending her foundational
years, then moved to the mining town of Welkom in the Free State where
she attended primary school and her family nally settling in Johannesburg,
Gauteng for the remainder of her formal schooling and University years.
She made a decision to pursue the Chartered Accountancy route aer
witnessing her mother starting a new career as a CA.
Having been introduced to AWCA in 2007 by her mother, Ms. Nosipho
Molope, who was a board member at the time as well as her mentor and
one of the founders of AWCA, Ms Sindi Mabaso-Koyana who invited her
to a Board 2 preparatory course, Pumla’s journey has come full circle, with
her now at the helm of this vital institution for black women in the
accounting professiom.
Pumla Molope is currently an Investor Relations Executive at Value Capital
Partners (VCP), an investment company. She Joined VCP from Visio Fund
Management, where she was a Fund Manager with focus areas being retail,
luxury, tobacco and beverages. Prior to Visio, Pumla gained nance and
operational experience at Discovery Health as Head of Finance at Discovery
Health in addition to her involvement in various strategic projects in the
CFO’s oce as an Executive Associate to the CFO of Discovery Health.
Pumla started her CA (SA) journey with KPMG as a trainee accountant in
2006, subsequently qualifying as a Chartered Accountant.
She lived and worked in Lagos, Nigeria
during a four-month secondment to
the KPMG Nigeria oce performing
external audits and IFRS advisory.
ereaer joining Rand Merchant Bank
(RMB)’s Fixed Income Currencies and
Commodities (FICC) division, where
she developed a passion for the equity
markets. She then joined ABSA Asset
Management as a buy-side analyst,
covering retail stocks and assisting in
the portfolio management of one of the
funds.
Pumla is the President of the African
Women Chartered Accountants
(AWCA) and is a Non-Executive
Director of AWCA. She is also a Non-
Executive Director of AIH Vikela, and
a member of the South African Institute
of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).
Pumla Molope’s leadership journey
with the African Women Chartered
Accountants (AWCA) is a testament
to the power of mentorship, resilience,
and a deep commitment to upliing
others. As the newly elected president
of AWCA, Pumla brings not only
her impressive credentials but also a
personal connection to the organization.
Having been introduced to AWCA
in 2007 by her mother, Ms. Nosipho
Molope, who was a board member at
the time, Pumla’s journey has come full
circle, with her now at the helm of this
vital institution for black women in the
accounting profession.
Reecting on what inspired her to take
on the role of president, Pumla recounts
the profound impact AWCA has had on
her career. From her rst introduction
to the organization, she was motivated
by the support, condence,
and sense of community that AWCA provided. “AWCA
had my heart from then on,” she says. e mentorship,
workshops, and sisterhood oered through AWCA
helped Pumla navigate the challenges of qualifying as a
Chartered Accountant and advancing her career.
Her leadership style, she notes, has been shaped by
these personal experiences and is a blend of democratic,
visionary, and empathetic qualities. “I aspire to be the
type of leader who listens, connects, and guides with
purpose,”. is approach is evident in the way she
plans to lead AWCA into the future—by ensuring the
organization remains responsive to its members’ needs
and continues to foster a safe, empowering space for
professional women in accounting.
As she looks ahead, she is focused on rening her
vision for AWCA, with an emphasis on ensuring the
organization remains a pivotal platform for black
women in the accounting profession. “AWCA plays a
critical role in supporting and developing women as
leaders,” she states. “We provide a space where women
can share ideas, experiences, and challenges while
feeling empowered to tackle any obstacle.”
Among the challenges facing black women in
accounting, Pumla identies systemic barriers such
as low pass rates for board exams, lack of mentorship,
and limited networking opportunities. AWCA has
been at the forefront of addressing these challenges,
introducing initiatives like the IAC and APC workshops,
mentorship programs, and wellness support sessions.
By continuing to address these gaps, AWCA is helping
to build a sustainable pipeline of black women leaders
in the industry.
Central to Pumla’s vision for AWCA is the continued
emphasis on mentorship and networking. rough
programs like the Mentorship Circle, where mentees
are paired with women in executive and leadership
positions, AWCA has created a strong framework for
supporting the career development of women at every
stage. “Mentorship is a critical part of why AWCA exists,”
Pumla asserts. “We are here to provide women with the
guidance and opportunities they need to thrive.”
In addition to formal mentorship programs, AWCA also
hosts networking events and spaces where members
can connect and support one another.
She believes that creating opportunities for women
to build relationships—whether through mentorship
or informal connections—will be vital for the
organization’s growth.
During her tenure, Pumla is focused on enhancing
the AWCA member experience and addressing the
evolving needs of the organization. “One of my key
priorities is to ensure that we get the basics right,” she
explains, “from responding to our members’ needs
to investing in the digitalization of our programs.”
By leveraging technology and data, AWCA is better
positioned to understand and serve its members while
providing new tools and opportuni
ties for career advancement.
Fundraising and securing sponsorships will also
be a signicant focus, especially to support the
AWCA bursary fund and various initiatives aimed at
empowering women in the accounting profession. “We
are working closely with the board on initiatives that
will be revealed in due time,” Pumla hints, showing
her commitment to driving impactful change.
POWER SPACES
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALLAN GRAY AND SAICA
JOHANNESBURG
On Saturday, March 29, 2025, the AWCA PowerSpaces,
in collaboration with Allan Gray and SAICA, convened
women from diverse backgrounds to delve into the theme
“Success Redened: Celebrating Wins at Matter!” e
AWCA is committed to honouring women in leadership
and those who positively impact their communities
through their unique gis and talents. PowerSpaces
strongly advocates for the use of storytelling as a means
to foster enlightening and inspiring conversations,
recognising that such dialogues have the power to shi
perspectives.
During the event, Paula Armstrong, an AWCA
fundraiser, shared her experiences with women who
have confronted numerous limitations yet found ways
to thrive despite these challenges. Manoka Mathye
facilitated a panel discussion that celebrated these
remarkable women, and the audience gleaned several
insights from the two featured thought leaders.
Ayanda Zwane discussed how her understanding of
“success” has transformed over the years, ultimately
reaching a point where she measures her success by her
ability to be adaptable and lead a purpose-driven life.
Harina Ndaba inspired attendees by explaining that,
for her, success is fundamentally about changing the
narrative for her family and serving her community.